Zakharova slams Macron’s call for supporting Belarusian protests as hypocrisy

MOSCOW- Russian Foreign Ministry Spokeswoman Maria Zakharova has described French President Emmanuel Macron’s call for supporting protests in Belarus as hypocrisy.

 Zakharova wrote on Facebook on Monday that Macron should call for supporting those taking part in protests in the European Union, not Belarusian protesters, according to the Russian Itar Tass news agency.

 Macron said on August 16 that the EU must continue to be mobilized in support of participants in peaceful protests taking part in the Belarusian capital of Minsk and other cities of the country.

 “When will he call on the European Union to be mobilized in support of hundreds of thousands of ‘Yellow Vests’ demonstrators who peacefully seek to ensure respect for their rights, freedoms and sovereignty? When will the European Union stop waiting for calls from presidents of its member states and start to mobilize proactively in support of protests held on its own territory?” Zakharova said. “This is what hypocrisy is,” she added.

  Belarus held a presidential election on August 9. According to preliminary results, incumbent President Alexander Lukashenko received 80.1% of the vote, while his main rival Svetlana Tikhanovskaya garnered 10.12%. Protests erupted in the country’s capital of Minsk and several other cities following the presidential vote, leading to clashes between protesters and law enforcement officers. The European Union’s High Representative for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy Josep Borrell said on August 14 that the EU did not accept the results of the Belarusian presidential election. “Work begins on sanctioning those responsible for violence and falsification,” he pointed out.

Hamda Mustafa