I’ve reported on many elections.
I’ve seen prime ministers and presidents roll up at polling stations, solid ballots after which take a number of questions from reporters.
However I’ve by no means seen something fairly just like the scene at Polling Station 478 in Minsk.
Lengthy-time chief of Belarus Alexander Lukashenko, as soon as dubbed “Europe’s final dictator”, arrived to solid his poll. Then, whereas Belarusians have been nonetheless voting, candidate Lukashenko gave a four-and-a-half hour press convention reside on state TV.
It was a possibility to quiz him on the controversial vote which his critics have denounced as “a sham”.
“What wretched query have you ever ready for me?” he requested. “Such as you all the time do.”
“Good morning,” I replied.
“Good morning, Steve.”
“How are you going to name this a democratic election, when your foremost rivals are both in jail or in exile?” I requested.
“Some are in jail, and a few are in exile. However you’re right here!” stated Lukashenko.
“Everybody has the proper to decide on. That’s democracy. Some selected jail, others selected exile. We by no means pressured anybody overseas.”
In actuality, it was the authorities’ brutal crackdown on protesters after the 2020 presidential election that led to Alexander Lukashenko’s staunchest opponents both being jailed or pushed into political exile. Private alternative didn’t come into it.
“You stated lately ‘We mustn’t shut folks’s mouths’ [silence people],” I reminded him.
“However your rivals have not simply been stored off the poll. A few of them have been jailed. There are at present greater than 1,200 political prisoners in Belarus. Is not it time to open the jail cells and launch them? Individuals like Maria Kolesnikova, Sergei Tikhanovsky…”
“You retain happening about Maria to me. My God,” Lukashenko sighed.
“OK, I will reply your query…Jail is for individuals who have opened their mouths too extensive and who’ve damaged the legislation. Do not you’ve got prisons in Britain and America?”
“In any nation, in case you break the legislation, you could bear the results,” he continued. “The legislation is strict however it’s the legislation. I did not invent it. It’s good to abide by it.”
“It’s good to abide by the legislation,” I interjected. “However these persons are in jail for criticising you.”
“Ignorance of the legislation doesn’t absolve you of accountability earlier than it.”
Though distinguished opposition figures weren’t allowed to run, Alexander Lukashenko’s title was not the one one on the poll. There have been 4 different candidates. However they got here throughout extra like spoilers than severe challengers.
“We spoke to among the different candidates,” I instructed Lukashenko. “One in all them, the Communist Occasion chief, brazenly helps you. One other is stuffed with reward for you. It is a unusual election, is not it, with opponents like this…”
“Steve, it is a complete new expertise for you!” he replied, to laughter and applause from native journalists within the room.
“That is true,” I stated. “I have not seen an election like this earlier than.”
“The Communists’ coverage based mostly on justice is identical coverage that we’re selling,” argued Lukashenko. “So why would they vote in opposition to me?”
The European Union’s overseas coverage chief Kaja Kallas has characterised this presidential election in Belarus as a “blatant affront to democracy”.
Not that Alexander Lukashenko appears to care.
“I swear to you,” he instructed me, “I could not care much less whether or not you recognise our election or whether or not you do not. Crucial factor for me is that the folks of Belarus recognise it.”
