Polish PM calls for extraordinary EC summit on Belarus

PM Mateusz Morawiecki has appealed to the head of the European Council Charles Michel and the head of the European Commission Ursula von der Leyen for the convocation of an extraordinary European Council summit with regards to the situation in Belarus, the spokesperson of the government Piotr Müller said on Monday.

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“Poland is responsible for its closest neighbours. That is why PM Mateusz Morawiecki appealed in a letter to Charles Michel, the head of the European Council and Ursula von der Leyen, the head of the European Commission, to organise an extraordinary European Council summit on the developments in Belarus,” reads the PM’s office website.

“Following the presidential elections in Belarus, which were carried out on August 9, 2020, the [Belarusian] authorities used force against their citizens who demanded a change in the country. We must show solidarity and support Belarusians in their pursuit of freedom. Therefrom comes the initiative of the head of the Polish government to discuss the matter within the European Council,” reads the statement on the website.

The clashes in Minsk erupted following the announcement of presidential exit polls according to which Alexander Lukashenka was re-elected president having allegedly acquired 80 percent of the vote in the elections of August 9. His main contender Sviatlana Tsikhanouskaya ostensibly garnered less than 10 percent.

Sources say that at least one person was killed and 120 were detained by the Belarusian police.