Hungary has refused to support a joint statement from European Union member states rejecting the legitimacy of Belarus's recent presidential election.
The election, held on January 26, resulted in Alexander Lukashenko securing his seventh term with nearly 87% of the vote.
Sources in Brussels indicated that the EU had intended to issue a unified response, condemning the election as neither free nor fair due to widespread repression and media restrictions.
Alternate Statement Released
The statement was initially opposed by both Hungary and Slovakia, but Bratislava later gave its approval, leaving Hungary as the only EU member state refusing to sign, according to Pravda.
With unanimous support no longer possible, EU High Representative for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy Kaja Kallas and EU Commissioner for Enlargement Marta Kos were forced to release an alternative statement on behalf of the European Commission.
They denounced the election as fraudulent and illegitimate, but without the collective endorsement of all 27 EU nations.
Lukashenko, who has led Belarus since 1994, has previously dismissed Western criticism of his elections.
His latest victory came in an electoral process that many international observers and opposition figures claim was deeply flawed.
The Belarusian government continues to face sanctions and diplomatic isolation from the EU, which has refused to recognize Lukashenko as the legitimate leader of the country since the 2020 election, widely viewed as fraudulent.
Hungary’s decision to block the joint statement aligns with its pattern of taking independent stances within the EU, particularly regarding relations with Russia and its allies.
