The head of the European Commission, Ursula von der Leyen, in a message to ex-presidential candidate Svetlana Tikhanovskaya, announced the EU’s readiness to participate in accompanying the democratic transformation in Belarus.
“The head of the European Commission announced the EU’s readiness to participate in accompanying democratic transformation in Belarus. In her message, she notes a global plan for economic assistance to democratic Belarus in the amount of 3 billion”, – said a representative of the European Commission at a briefing in Brussels.
According to her, this plan contains both loans and grants. It should be carried out with international financial institutions.
“The goal is to allow Belarus to develop, stabilize its economy, reform and democratize its institutions, and stimulate economic reforms. This should increase economic stability and create new jobs”, – the European Commission official explained.
The European Commission has presented to the Council of the European Union a plan of economic support for “democratic Belarus” in the amount of up to 3 billion euros, said a representative of the press service of the European Commission at a briefing.
The head of the EC Ursula von der Leyen wrote a letter to Svetlana Tikhonovskaya, she said.
“In her letter, she noted the comprehensive plan of the European Union for the economic support of democratic Belarus in the amount of up to three billion euros, which was presented today by the European Commission to the Council. This is a significant investment plan, consisting of grants and loans, it will help a future democratic Belarus to stabilize its economy, reform their institutions to make them more democratic, support economic reforms”, – she said.
“The EU will activate this plan as soon as Belarus starts its democratic transformation”, – she added. According to the EC representative, “this plan proves that the European Union is on the side of the Belarusian people”.
After the presidential elections in Belarus on August 9, 2020, in which Alexander Lukashenko won for the sixth time, who, according to the CEC, gained 80.1% of the vote, massive opposition protests began in the country, to suppress which the security forces, among other things, used special means and special equipment. On February 11, the KGB of Belarus announced that the situation in the country had stabilized, the peak of the protests had passed, and their manifestations had practically disappeared.
The opposition considers Tikhanovskaya to be the winner of the elections, initiates the expansion of international sanctions against official Minsk and the holding of new elections. In Belarus, criminal cases have been initiated against a number of opposition leaders, including calls for the seizure of power, the creation of an extremist group, and a conspiracy to seize state power in an unconstitutional way. Tikhanovskaya, who has left for Lithuania, who is also a defendant in criminal cases, is included in the list of persons involved in terrorist activities; Minsk is seeking her extradition.