Belarus Refuses OSCE Election Observation: International Concern Grows
The Belarusian government's decision not to invite the Organization for Security and Co-operation in Europe (OSCE) to observe the upcoming presidential elections on 26 January has caused international criticism and concern. The OSCE, in particular the Office for Democratic Institutions and Human Rights (ODIHR) and the Parliamentary Assembly (OSCE PA), strongly condemned this step and warned of the consequences for the country's democratic development.
Lukashenko, who has been in power in the former Soviet state since 1994 and is a close ally of Russian President Vladimir Putin, is running for a seventh term in office on Jan. 26. / Picture: © Wikimedia Commons / www.kremlin.ru - The President of the Russian Federation [CC BY-SA 3.0 (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/3.0)]
“I deeply regret the decision of the Belarusian authorities not to invite OSCE observers,” said Maria Telalian, Director of the ODIHR, in an official statement. “This decision deprives civil society in Belarus of the opportunity to benefit from an independent and impartial assessment of the election process.” In recent months, the OSCE has repeatedly tried to contact the Belarusian authorities to obtain an invitation to observe the elections - so far without success.
Violations of OSCE commitments
The country has been criticized since 2020 when presidential elections were held in Belarus without international observation. Even then, the ODIHR was unable to monitor the election process due to the lack of an invitation. The behavior of the Belarusian government is in clear contradiction to the Copenhagen Document of 1990, which obliges OSCE participating states to allow election observers from other member states. Pia Kauma, President of the OSCE PA, stated: “The Belarusian government's renewed refusal to invite international observers undermines confidence in the entire election process and violates international standards.”
Recurring criticism of Belarus
Belarus was already heavily criticized for its lack of transparency and suppression of the opposition during the last elections in August 2020. At the time, mass protests broke out across the country, which were brutally suppressed by the security forces. Numerous opposition politicians were arrested or forced to flee abroad. This time too, there are reports of intimidation of potential candidates and arrests of government critics. The ODIHR Director called on the Belarusian authorities to respect fundamental freedoms such as freedom of assembly and freedom of expression to enable a democratic election. “Without the protection of these freedoms, there can be no question of a genuine democratic election,” said Telalian.
Opposition speaks of farce
The opposition, which has been severely weakened since 2020, was disappointed but not surprised by the government's behavior. Sviatlana Tsikhanouskaya, the leading opposition politician in exile, described the upcoming elections as a “farce” and called on the international community not to recognize the election results. “We are once again seeing how the regime of Alyaksandr Lukashenka is trying to circumvent any form of democratic legitimacy,” she explained in a video message.
International reactions and consequences
The international community reacted with concern to the developments in Belarus. The EU High Representative for Foreign Affairs, Josep Borrell, announced that he would monitor the situation closely and impose further sanctions against the Belarusian leadership if necessary. The USA also condemned the actions of the Belarusian government. A spokesperson for the US State Department explained that the lack of transparency in the elections was a further sign of the regime's autocratic orientation.
Furthermore, Minsk's behavior could have an impact on relations with Russia. Although Moscow has supported Lukashenka politically and economically for years, the country's increasing isolation could also become problematic for the Kremlin. Experts believe that Belarus is becoming increasingly dependent on Russia, which could jeopardize the country's sovereignty in the long term.
Belarus' renewed refusal to allow OSCE election monitoring highlights the ongoing problems in the country. Without independent monitoring of the electoral process, the credibility of the upcoming presidential elections is likely to be severely compromised. The international community will be watching closely in the coming weeks to see how the situation develops and whether there are renewed protests by the population. If the reports of intimidation and arrests prove to be true, the already tense situation could escalate further.