Tens of thousands of people march in Belarus in a large rally against Lukashenko

Tens of thousands of protesters have gathered this Sunday in the streets of the capital of Belarus, Minsk, for a new massive protest against the president of the country, Alexander Lukashenko, whom they accuse of electoral fraud and repression against dissidents, at one point of maximum tension in the former Soviet republic. The protesters have concentrated in the Independence Square shouting “Uchodi!” (“Get out of here!”), While the security forces, who have warned that the demonstration has not been approved, have for the moment blocked all access by subway. The Ministry of the Interior has reminded the protesters that ” The event is illegal ”and that the participants will be“ held responsible ”for what may happen, while the Belarusian Police Chief, Ivan Kubrakov, has warned the participants to disperse from the square. been even more urgent. “As there are riots, you will not fight against the Police,” he warned the protesters, “but against the Army.” Belarus Defense Minister Viktor Jrenin warned this Sunday that there will be military intervention if attacks against monuments or military installations are carried out in the framework of opposition mobilizations. In particular, he has warned that he will not tolerate “desecration” of these “sacred places”, where people go to “lay flowers and pay homage to the defenders of the Fatherland.” These monuments are tributes to the struggle during the Second World War, but they are also identified with the Soviet past of Belarus. «In the last war Belarus lost a third of its population. It was practically wiped off the face of the Earth.Thousands of monuments have been erected in our land as a memory of the suffering. They are sacred to us, “he stressed in statements collected by the official Belarusian news agency BELTA.” We cannot calmly contemplate how events are held in these places with the flags with which the fascists organized the massacres of Belarusians, Russians, Jews and of other nationalities ”, has argued in reference to the use of the white and red flag used by the Belarusian allies of Nazi Germany during World War II. The flag was also official in Belarus between 1991 and 1995.The Ministry of Defense has reported that as of August 23 these monuments are in the custody of this institution. “We categorically warn that those who violate order and peace in these places will have to deal with the army instead of the police,” warns the Ministry. Borrell, “very impressed” The High Representative of the Common Foreign and Security Policy of The EU, Jospe Borrell, said this Sunday he was “very impressed” by the opposition demonstrations to protest the re-election of President Alexander Lukashenko. “Very impressed by the massive and peaceful demonstrations in Minsk and throughout Belarus. They demonstrate the determination and courage of the Belarusian people in favor of democratic change, “said Borrell through a message on Twitter.” The authorities must enter into a national dialogue without further delay, “added the EU’s top diplomat. in his message published this Sunday afternoon.