Lukashenko additionally needs to stay in energy in Belarus ceaselessly | EUROtoday

The Belarusian chief, Alexander Lukashenkointroduced this Sunday that he’ll run for president once more in 2025. He just lately accused the West of making an attempt to make use of “new tricks to destabilize society” after the February 25 vote.

“Dganles [a la oposicin exiliada] “what to introduce me”Lukashenko defiantly told journalists at a polling station after voting in the parliamentary and local elections, where his candidates are running without major rivals.

Only those who follow Lukashenko's political dictate have been allowed to attend. Most of the candidates they have allowed to run belong to the four parties officially registered, which support Lukashenko's policies: Blaya Rushe Communist Partyhe Liberal Democratic Party and the Labor and Justice Party. A fan of 'decorative' matches modeled on the one that works in Russia.

This is the first election in Belarus since the controversy 2020 presidential votewhich gave Lukashenko his sixth term in office and unleashed a wave of unprecedented mass demonstrations. Populist and authoritarian, at 69 years old he has been governing Belarus since 1994 and is one of Vladimir Putin's closest allies.

Key piece for the invasion of Ukraine

In fact, it has been a key player in the Russian invasion of Ukraine. Lukashenko backed what Moscow calls a “particular navy operation” in February 2022 by allowing Moscow used its territory to launch war. It also agreed last year to deploy Russian tactical nuclear weapons in your country, right on the western border of Russia. Lukashenko has relied on Russian subsidies and political support to survive the protests.

The elections have been carried out amid a harsh repression against dissent. Almost 1,500 political prisoners remain behind barsincluding opposition party leaders and renowned human rights defender and Nobel Peace Prize 2022, Ales Bialiatski.

Lukashenko has asked law enforcement agencies to organize small arms patrols on city streets to ensure security. The crime rate in Belarus was declining, but Lukashenko believes the country is at risk of committing crimes of an “extremist nature.” That is why we must “repress the actions of bullies and stop the lack of individuals.”

The Belarusian leader carried out a new crackdown on dissent after suppressing unprecedented demonstrations against what his opponents denounce was a rigged re-election.

Over the last year Lukashenko has hardened his regime. Last week he claimed that several “saboteurs”, including Ukrainian and Belarusian citizens, had been detained at the border in a “anti-terrorist operation” and that similar groups are detained “two or 3 times every week.”

In January, Belarusian authorities launched a research on a group of 20 analysts and commentators independents who are now outside the country and accused of conspiring to seize power and promote extremism.

The Viasna human rights center reported last week that Ihar Lednik, one of the leaders of the opposition Social Democratic Party, had died in prison at 64 years old. Lednik, who is serving a three-to-one sentence after being found guilty of defaming Lukashenko, was arrested after an operation in prison.