DISINFO: The EU tried to organise a Maidan in Belarus
SUMMARY
The EU's first attempt to spark a Maidan in Belarus failed. Before the second attempt, the country is first to be softened up: sanctions are to comprehensively damage its economy. [...]
Last year, the scenario of a "revolution" in the aftermath of the presidential elections and subsequent "democratization" of this country according to Euro standards failed. "Success" seemed so close, and the example of Ukraine inspired, but Belarusian society did not allow itself to be drawn into the wild round of chaos.
RESPONSE
A recurring pro-Kremlin disinformation narrative about an alleged Western attempt to organise a "Maidan" coup or colour revolution in Belarus. In this case, the EU is accused of organising a "Maidan" in Belarus, a claim presented without evidence.
The protests in Belarus erupted to contest the results of the presidential election on the 9th of August 2020, which were not monitored by independent experts, and are largely considered fraudulent by both international observers and a big part of the Belarusian society. On 19 August 2020, the European Council called Belarusian elections neither free nor fair.
Mobilisations were organised and carried out by local actors, opposition politicians and Belarusian citizens, without any foreign involvement. In October 2020, the EU-Council imposed sanctions against 40 individuals identified as responsible for repression and intimidation against peaceful demonstrators, opposition members and journalists in the wake of the 2020 presidential election in Belarus, as well as for misconduct of the electoral process. See the full text and the Council conclusions (page 10).
Moreover, the Euromaidan that is referred to was not a coup attempt. It was a nationwide popular protest against the government's sudden announcement that it would not sign the EU Association Agreement. See the full debunk here. Moreover, far-right groups had a very limited presence during the protests and have suffered spectacular defeats in every national election since 2014.
Read earlier disinformation cases alleging that Poland is preparing Euromaidan scenario for Belarus, that Belarus will turn anti-Russian in case it does not deepen integration with Russia, that the West's only interest in Belarus is to make it anti-Russian, and that the US plans to turn Belarus into its colony, a coup and foreign military invasion may happen.