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Demonstrators demand clear assessment of situation in Belarus

Earlier reports said that some of the Foreign Ministry employees had joined strikes going on in the country but the reports haven’t been confirmed yet

MINSK, August 18. /TASS/. Several dozen people have gathered in front of the Belarusian Foreign Ministry, demanding that a clear assessment of the situation in the country be made, a TASS correspondent reported from the scene.

According to one of the demonstrators, people want "senior Foreign Ministry officials to provide a clear assessment of what happened after the election." They are addressing top diplomat Vladimir Makei, chanting: "Makei Be Brave."

Earlier reports said that some of the Foreign Ministry employees had joined strikes going on in the country but the reports haven’t been confirmed yet. There are no ministry employees among the demonstrators. At the same time, several dozen staff members of the National Arts Museum are protesting against violence across the road from the Foreign Ministry’s building.

Belarus held a presidential election on August 9. According to the Central Election Commission, incumbent President Alexander Lukashenko received 80.1% of the vote, 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. According to the Belarusian Interior Ministry, several thousand people were detained, dozens of police officers and demonstrators suffered injuries.