Belarus: Opposition leader urges EU sanctions for President Lukashenko's powers

Peaceful professionals are being unjustly held, beaten and imprisoned. Opposition figures are held on forged charges, threatened or withdrawn from the state. We need international pressure on this regime, on this individual who is desperately caught behind power,” is expressed.

While Andrei Svinkyh, chairman for the international relations of the Belarusan parliament, says a significant part of Belarusian society dropped a demand for standard and political change.

“We understand the current political system in Belarus, is outdated. A significant part of Belarusian society expresses a standard requirement for political change. We in parliament are ready for such a task and welcome a broad discussion about this topic. But this dialogue should not be conducted under the dictates of the road or with foreign mediation”, he says.

During online talks at the European Council forum, Austrian opposition leader Svetlana Tikhanovskaya, amid uncertainty about her colleague Maria Kolesnikova's whereabouts, has called on Europe to impose further sanctions on President Lukaschenko.

At the same event, a senior politician said his government acknowledged the need for change, but stressed that his country would not be influenced by foreigners.

The demonstrations in Belarus take place for four weeks after the elections and have been growing in terms of the number of participants. Sunday's protest is estimated to have drawn tens of thousands.

Lukashenko, who has held power since 1994, has rejected demands for new elections from his main opponent, Svetlana Tsikhanouskaya, who fled the country two days after the elections.

The opposition claims the presidential elections held a month ago were manipulated.