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Estonia does not recognize results of Belarusian presidential election, government says

The Estonian cabinet also said the European Union needed to discuss the situation in Belarus and keep it in the focus of international organizations

TALLINN, August 18. /TASS/. Estonia does not recognize the results of the Belarusian presidential vote and calls for a new election, the cabinet said on Tuesday.

"Estonia’s government supports the Belarusian people’s wish for change and believes that it is important to hold a new free and democratic election," the cabinet said, as cited by the BNS media outlet. The Estonian government "supports targeted sanctions on those responsible for violence against civilians and election rigging" and "believes that sanctions should not harm common Belarusians."

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Demonstrators demand clear assessment of situation in Belarus

The Estonian cabinet also said the European Union needed to discuss the situation in Belarus and keep it in the focus of international organizations such as the United Nation Security Council, the UN Human Rights Council, the Council of Europe and the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe. The government added that the focus should be on preventing violence and the search for a peaceful political solution.

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, over 6,000 people were detained, dozens of police officers and demonstrators suffered injuries.

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