The president of the European Parliament said the presidential election in Belarus on January 26 is a "sham" and encouraged Belarusians to continue striving for democracy.
"My message to the people of Belarus is: keep strong, we have your back, the time of dictatorship will be over. Democracy will prevail," Roberta Metsola said on X in one of several messages of support for Belarus's democratic movement on the eve of the election.
Estonian Foreign Minister Margus Tsahkna also condemned the election, saying it would be an exercise in "faking democracy."
"Tomorrow we will witness a dictatorship trying to legitimize its rule through organising a charade that they call elections," Tsahkna said on X on January 25. "It’s simply faking democracy. Estonia continues to support the aspirations of the Belarusian people for a free & democratic future."
Belarusian opposition politician Svyatlana Tsikhanouskaya thanked Tsahkna, Metsola, and other EU leaders for "standing with the people of Belarus & sending a strong, united message denouncing the regime’s so-called 'election' -- a sham designed to tighten oppression," she said on X. "This is not democracy; it’s a farce built on fear, repression & lies."
In response to Metsola's message, she said on X: "Your solidarity reminds us that democracy will win, and Belarusians will take their rightful place in Europe’s family of free nations."
Earlier in the week, Ukrainian Foreign Ministry spokesman Heorhiy Tykhy said it was "obvious" that authoritarian ruler Alyaksandr Lukashenka will continue to be Russian President Vladimir Putin's "ally and accomplice" in the war against Ukraine and said Ukraine agreed with other democratic countries regarding the lack of basic conditions in Belarus for holding fair and transparent elections.
"We believe that the Belarusian people deserve the right to choose their government in truly democratic, free, competitive elections and to build their own future without Russia's dictates, without its imperial encroachments, and without Moscow's desire to impose the role of controlled puppets on its neighbors, as is currently happening," Tykhy said in response to a reporter's question on January 23.
The messages echoed the language used in a resolution overwhelmingly passed on January 22 by the European Parliament condemning the election and referring to the process as a "sham" while slamming Lukashenka's regime.
The resolution painted a grim picture of the political environment in Belarus, where the 70-year-old Lukashenka has been in power since 1994. The vote is the first presidential election since balloting in 2020 triggered mass unrest after Lukashenka was declared the winner despite claims by the opposition and many Western governments that the vote was rigged.
The resolution "reiterates its non-recognition of the [2020] election of Alyaksandr Lukashenka to the post of President of Belarus; considers the current regime in Belarus to be illegitimate, illegal and criminal; reaffirms its unwavering support for the Belarusian people in their pursuit of democracy, freedom and human rights."
SEE ALSO: In Belarus, Lukashenka's Regime Is Punishing Critics By Taking Their Children AwayIt also noted that over 1,250 political prisoners are being held in custody in Belarus, many of whom face torture, life-threatening conditions, and denial of medical care.
Lawmakers also denounced "the lack of freedom, fairness, and transparency" ahead of the election and called for the EU and the international community to reject the election.
Last week, the United States said the vote in Belarus cannot be free or fair because of a "repressive environment" where only regime-approved candidates can appear on the ballot and members of the opposition are either imprisoned or in exile.
Long considered a pariah by Western Europe, Lukashenka has overseen a brutal crackdown on dissent and civil society since the 2020 vote, prompting a wave of international sanctions that have strangled the country's economy.
In the run up to the vote, Lukashenka appears to be seeking to signal to the West that he is easing off on the persistent clampdown that the state has imposed since the 2020 election.
SEE ALSO: Belarus's Lukashenka Is Trying To Win Over Gen Z On TikTokStill, the crackdown continues, with frequent arrests and trials on what activists say are politically motivated charges. At least 1,253 people whom rights groups consider political prisoners remain behind bars, and the real number is believed to be higher.
Lukashenka has roped Belarus closely to Russia and has provided support for Russia's war on neighboring Ukraine, including by allowing Russian forces to invade from Belarusian territory, and he says Russian nuclear weapons have been deployed in Belarus.
But over 30 years in power, he has often tried to capitalize on Belarus’s position between Russia in the east and NATO and the European Union to the west and north.