The EU should do everything to avert violence in Belarus — but also make clear it is not trying to expand its zone of influence, the head of Germany's parliament, Wolfgang Schäuble, told DW in an exclusive interview.
Image: DW
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As Belarus faces mass protests following strongman Alexander Lukashenko's violent crackdown in the country, German Parliamentary Speaker Wolfgang Schäuble told DW on Tuesday that the European Union should ramp up pressure to ensure a non-violent solution.
"Because we can all sense that things can no longer continue as they are in Belarus now," Schäuble said.
Lukashenko has rejected protesters' calls to step down following the disputed presidential election that saw him claim victory.
In Tuesday's interview, Schäuble, who is a member of German Chancellor Angela Merkel's conservative party, appeared certain that Lukashenko's reign was drawing to a close.
"When a Dictator has come to the end of the road, it's best to find a way forward without further violence," he said. "Clearly a regime is coming to an end in Belarus as well."
EU 'responsibility'
Schäuble said the European bloc also has a "responsibility" towards its neighbors. With regards to Russia and the alliance between Moscow and Minsk, he warned that the EU was not looking to expand its influence.
"As I say, people would be wrong to think that we want to change spheres of influence," Schäuble told DW's Michaela Küfner.
"If we stand up for human rights, non-violence and democracy, that is not directed against anyone, and certainly not against Russia."
Belarus in crisis
Pressure is mounting on President Alexander Lukashenko to step down after 26 years in power. Huge protests that erupted after last week's disputed election show no sign of dying down. DW looks at how the crisis unfolded.
Image: Getty Images/AFP/S. Gapon
Allegations of vote fraud
Alexander Lukashenko declared a landslide victory in presidential polls on August 9. According to the official count, the 65-year-old won 80% of the votes while his main challenger, Sviatlana Tsikhanouskaya, got only 10%. Lukashenko's opponents accuse him of rigging the vote to secure a sixth term after 26 years in power.
Image: picture-alliance/AP Photo/S. Grits
Protests erupt
After the results were announced, Belarusians took to the streets to demand an election rerun monitored by independent observers. Security forces responded with a brutal crackdown. The violence, which Lukashenko blamed on foreign interference, was widely condemned internationally, prompting the EU to prepare sanctions against implicated Belarusian officials.
Image: picture-alliance/dpa/S. Grits
Violent crackdown
In the first four days of protests, at least two people died and almost 7,000 were detained. But rather than peter out, rallies calling for Lukashenko's resignation have grown. Thousands of protesters have joined daily marches demanding the release of political prisoners and an end to police violence.
Image: Reuters/Tut.by
Nationwide movement
More than 100,000 people took part in a "March for Freedom" on August 16 — one of the biggest ever shows of opposition to Lukashenko's rule. Protesters chanted "Leave!," and waved the red and white historic Belarusian flag that has become a common sight at rallies. Lukashenko scrapped the flag when he came to power, and it has since become a symbol of opposition to him.
Image: Getty Images/AFP/S. Gapon
'I'm for Lukashenko'
Lukashenko's supporters held a rally of their own on August 16, although their numbers were dwarfed by the opposition's march. "I'm for Lukashenko," 68-year-old supporter Alla Georgievna told Reuters. "I don't understand why everyone has risen up against him. We get our pensions and salaries on time thanks to him."
Image: picture-alliance/AP Photo/S. Grits
Workers put down tools
Workers in state-owned industries, considered to be Lukashenko's traditional support base, have started turning against him. Thousands of factory workers took part in walkouts after the opposition called a general strike. Footage from August 17 that was widely shared on social media showed workers at a Minsk tractor plant heckling Lukashenko with shouts of "Leave!" as he tried to give a speech.
Image: picture-alliance/dpa/TASS/V. Sharifulin
State media join strike
Several hundred journalists, camera operators and other employees at Belarusian state broadcaster BT also walked off the job. Local media said staff had issued demands urging management to end censorship and recognize the election results as invalid. During the strike, "Belarus 1" TV broadcast an empty studio with music playing the background.
Image: picture-alliance/dpa/V. Sharifulin
Opposition in exile
Soon after the protests began, opposition presidential candidate Sviatlana Tsikhanouskaya fled to neighboring Lithuania, citing threats to her safety. In exile, she has renewed calls for fresh elections and said she is "ready to take responsibility and act as a national leader." Lukashenko, meanwhile, has conceded that new polls would be possible — but only after amending the constitution.
Image: picture-alliance/dpa/TASS/N. Fedosenko
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Lukashenko has been ruling Belarus since 1994. After seeking his sixth consecutive term in the August election, he arrested or forced key rivals into exile.
The wife of jailed blogger Siarhei Tsikhanouski, Sviatlana Tsikhanouskaya, became a wildcard when deciding to run again Lukashenko on the opposition's ticket. Belarus authorities claim Lukashenko achieved an overwhelming victory at the polls, held on August 9, but this has been disputed by the opposition — with protests escalating across the country following a violent crackdown.
