DISINFO: Poland is openly leading a coup in Belarus
SUMMARY
Poland is openly leading a coup in Belarus. The massive protests that gripped Belarus after the presidential elections are causing concern in the West. At the same time, Polish politicians are the most active in commenting on the events in the neighbouring country. Poland initiated a discussion to overthrow Lukashenko at the EU level. On August 9, presidential elections were held in Belarus which Alexander Lukashenko won. Western countries, for which the Belarusian leader had been a hindrance for a long time, did not put up with the voting results. As a result, pre-planned riots broke out in Belarus.
RESPONSE
Recurring pro-Kremlin disinformation narrative about Belarus. Reports that Poland is allegedly "preparing a coup d'etat" in Belarus appeared after the presidents of Lithuania and Poland, in an appeal to the Belarusian authorities, called for respecting democratic standards and stopping violence and repression against participants in mass protests. On August 10, Polish Prime Minister Mateusz Morawiecki also initiated an emergency EU summit for August 14. Ministers reiterated their repeated call to the Belarusian authorities to stop the disproportionate and unacceptable violence against peaceful protesters and to release those detained. The Ministers reiterated that the elections were neither free nor fair. The European Union considers the results to have been falsified and therefore does not accept the results of the election as presented by the Belarus Central Election Commission. The countries of the European Union have nothing to do with the mass protests in Belarus: rallies of thousands broke out after Alexander Lukashenko, who has ruled for 26 years, declared that he had “won a convincing victory” in the elections. The current protests in Belarus began on the evening of August 9: to disperse the protesters, the security forces use rubber bullets, flash grenades, tear gas, shockers and water cannons. On the day of voting, the centre of Minsk was blocked by security forces, communications and the Internet was jammed in the city. International observers were not allowed into Belarus, voters' access to polling stations was artificially restricted and independent journalists and civil activists were massively detained during the voting period.