Belarus' Opposition Wants To Discuss New Presidential Election With Premier, Parliament

MINSK (Pakistan Point News / Sputnik - 23rd September, 2020) The Coordination Council of the Belarusian opposition on Wednesday expressed readiness to negotiate with the country's prime minister and parliament officials on setting a date for a new presidential election.

Earlier in the day, President Alexander Lukashenko, whose victory in the August presidential election is being contested by the opposition, was reported to have been sworn into the office in a closed and unannounced ceremony.

"We are ready to start negotiating with the prime minister of Belarus and chairpersons of the commissions of the House of Representatives about setting a date for new elections and interim governance of the country for the transition period," council members Pavel Latushko and Olga Kovalkova said in a statement.

The opposition also urged the European Union, the United States, the United Kingdom, Canada, China, and Russia to recognize Lukashenko as an illegitimate leader.

"We propose creating an international group of mediators with the high representatives from Austria, Great Britain, Germany, Lithuania, Poland, Russia, the US, and France under the OSCE auspices," the statement reads.

Belarus has been in a protracted political crisis the presidential election, as a result of which Lukashenko was elected for his sixth consecutive term. The opposition did not recognize the results, claiming that Svetlana Tikhanovskaya was the true winner.