The “sham election” that took place in Belarus “has been neither free, nor fair”, said the EU High Representative for Foreign Affairs, Estonian Kaja Kallas. “The people of Belarus deserve a real say in who governs their country. The relentless and unprecedented repression of human rights, restrictions to political participation and access to independent media in Belarus, have deprived the electoral process of any legitimacy. We urge the regime to immediately and unconditionally release all political prisoners, over a thousand of whom are arbitrarily detained, including an employee of the Delegation of the European Union”. For these reasons, as well as for “the involvement of the Belarusian regime in Russia’s war of aggression against Ukraine and its hybrid attacks against its neighbours, the EU will continue imposing restrictive and targeted measures against the regime, while financially supporting civil society, Belarusian democratic forces in exile, and Belarusian culture. Once Belarus embarks on a democratic transition”, Kallas pointed out, “the EU is ready to support the country stabilise its economy and reform its institutions”. Finally: “Democracy requires free, fair and transparent elections. […] The EU is on the side of the Belarusian people and our support in their quest for a free, democratic, sovereign and independent Belarus, as part of a peaceful and prosperous Europe, is unwavering”.