VILNIUS, August 19. /TASS/. The leaders of the EU countries believe it is necessary to hold a new presidential election in Belarus, Lithuanian President Gitanas Nauseda told reporters at a news conference on Wednesday following an emergency video conference summit on the situation in Belarus.
"The conversation went on in unison. Everyone agreed that the election results had been falsified and could not be recognized. It is necessary to create conditions for a new election," he said.
According to Nauseda, by doing so, the EU demonstrated its moral authority, the fact that the European Union "protects fundamental values, and, if necessary, is ready to react quickly, decisively and with dignity."
Belarus held its presidential election on August 9. According to the Central Election Commission’s final data, incumbent President Alexander Lukashenko won 80.10% of the vote, whereas Svetlana Tikhanovskaya, who was considered his key rival, garnered 10.12% of the ballot. Subsequently, she refused to recognize the outcome of the polls.
After the results of exit polls were announced late on August 9, mass protests flared up in downtown Minsk and other cities, which spiraled into clashes with police.