heute journal 25.02.24: Parlamentswahlen in Belarus, Ukraine-Krieg, Demokratiefördergesetz (english)

POLITICAL FARCE PARLIAMENTARY ELECTION IN BELARUS POLITICAL IMPACTS? WESTERN SANCTIONS AGAINST RUSSIA A POLITICAL BERLINALE FILM CONVERGES WITH THE GLOBAL STAGE And now, the "heute journal" with Hanna Zimmermann and Dunja Hayali. Good evening. "I will no longer play the West's democracy games", declared the leader of Belarus. A testament to his statement, today's ballots were absent of any opposition candidates. The majority of them have either been imprisoned or have fled abroad since the last

election in 2020. Independent election observers weren't granted entry to the local or parliamentary elections. Nor was there much reason for them to observe, as official data indicated that nearly 42% of voters had already cast their ballots before polling stations had even opened. Natalie Steger reports on an election that was nothing more than a farce. An independent media outlet reports on the Belarus election, however, from exile in Poland. The evening news from the Warsaw-based Belsat chan

nel is broadcast in Belarusian and accessible via satellite in Belarus. The parliamentary elections are just one of the Belarusian journalists' many topics. In the past, we've broadcast special election programmes. However, this time we decided not to play by the rules of Lukashenko's regime, because this is not a real election. The regime in Minsk considers Belsat an extremist organisation. Several of their employees are imprisoned in Belarus. Politics and the media are one and the same. Only p

arties loyal to the regime were permitted to participate in the parliamentary elections. Lukashenko's most prominent adversary, opposition leader Sviatlana Tsikhanouskaya, Tweeted from exile today: "Farce. Fraud. Sham. Scam. Circus. Imitation. Ritual. Military operation. There are many words to describe what is happening in Belarus today," she wrote, "But don't call it elections." President Lukashenko cast his vote in Minsk. He refused to invite election observers from the OSCE. He used the elec

tion as an opportunity to demonstrate strength and to announce that presidential elections will be held next year. I will run again. No individual or responsible president would abandon his people who followed him into battle. Lukashenko is further solidifying his power. Following the last presidential election in 2020, his regime appeared momentarily threatened. Mass protests ensued, which Lukashenko ultimately quelled with brutality. Since then, his approach has become increasingly more author

itarian. The opposition has been silenced, either through imprisonment or forced exile. We only have a few on-site correspondents working undercover. Belarus is ruled by terror. Every week, someone is sent to prison on some pretext, with sentences ranging from 3 to 15, or even 25 years. The conditions resemble a Stalinist regime. For the Belarusian journalists in Poland, today's election is not a major headline, since it will have no impact. For us, the more pressing issue is that political pris

oners are dying in Belarusian prisons. We've just become aware of a fifth instance, which is far more critical to us than a fake election. Belsat estimates that in recent years, hundreds of thousands of Belarusians have fled their country, where the prospect of change appears remote. A demonstration of power by the Belarusian ruler, who continues to cement his rule of the country. Good evening, Armin Coerper in Moscow. Lukashenko seems to be have taken lessons from his neighbour and ally, Putin.

What value do these elections hold? They hardly hold any value. Belarus is ruled by a power apparatus, which even surpasses the extent of brutality witnessed in Russia. There are continuously reports of opposition members dying in prisons and penal colonies. The death toll is constantly increasing. So, these elections are entirely irrelevant. This election was likely a preview for the 2025 presidential election in Belarus. At the beginning of the Russian war of aggression, Belarus' role was int

ensely discussed. For instance, whether it would serve as a base from which Putin would attack, the retreat of the Wagner group, among other things. How close is Lukashenko and Putin's relationship at the moment? It's certainly not one of affection. Putin has considered Lukashenko unpredictable for a long time. He nonetheless seems to have exhausted other options within the region. Lukashenko is certainly aware that he is a subordinate in the so-called "Union State". Belarus is increasingly beco

ming opaque for us Western journalists. Western journalists are rarely permitted entry into the country. There were reports last year indicating that Russia had relocated several of its tactical nuclear weapons to Belarus. However, it remains unclear who currently has control over them. In regards to the Wagner mercenaries, we have hardly any information on their numbers and activities there. It is my impression that for President Putin, Belarus is nothing more than a deployment zone that border

s the West. This encapsulates Belarus' significance within his own power constellation. For Lukashenko, Vladimir Putin has essentially become the only option. He had previously flirted with the idea of closer ties with the EU, but they have since distanced themselves. Thank you for your assessment, Armin Coerper live from Moscow. What we've just witnessed during the Belarusian elections is likely to repeat itself in Russia on 17 March. Vladimir Putin intends to become president for the 5th time.

Who could possibly hinder him? Opponents including Kremlin critic Navalny or the Wagner leader Prigozhin are dead. Despite all the sanctions, the Russian economy has not buckled. Meanwhile, Ukraine is facing a shortage of ammunition and combat-ready men. Allies in the West have responded either too slowly or too hesitantly at nearly every turn. After two years, the Russian invasion is increasingly tilting in favour of the aggressor, with the support of China. Armin Coerper reports. The dragon i

s on the loose: This is the first year that Moscow will officially celebrate the Chinese New Year. China is currently their most significant economic partner. However, critics argue that it's a somewhat one-sided friendship being commemorated on Arbat Avenue through cardboard cut-outs. However, President Putin considers himself to be on equal footing with Chin. Cooperation with the Chinese People's Republic is at an all-time high. At least everything appears shiny on the surface. In the "Europa"

shopping mall, a Russian consumer can find any desired Western product. Sanctions and economic concerns are not apparent. Denis Wolkow is the director of Russia's only independent polling and research organisation. In his opinion, Western sanctions have not been successful in turning Russians against their president. In the beginning, people scrambled to withdraw foreign currency in cash. That quickly ended. The government increased interest rates, and people returned their money to the banks.

The arms industry has generated more than 3% economic growth, The state continues to invest heavily in the arms sector with funds borrowed from China, for example. It's uncertain how long this will persist. The army, once infamous for its compulsory conscription, is now widely perceived as a desirable employer. For people in remote regions, the war serves as an economic stimulus program. The majority of the men in special operations come from small towns and rural regions. Their monthly income i

s now five to six times higher than it was previously. In effect, their financial situations have significantly improved. Those who refuse to comply or voice criticism are put on trial. Nearly 20,000 critics have been arrested since the war started. European countries are also being threatened by the Kremlin. The latest target is Latvia, which is home to a Russian minority. They are treated like pigs there. Those responsible for this will soon experience such pig-sty conditions themselves. In Mo

scow, this new-found patriotism seems to hide all manner of sins. Everything gleams on the surface of Putin's empire. However, only the warlord knows what lies beneath the surface after two years of war, as he ostentatiously fills his symbolic champagne glasses to the brim. Putin appears to have the upper hand and intends to conquer Ukraine at any cost. Putin and the Russian economy appear unfazed by sanctions. So, what is the way forward: peace talks, increased arms or further sanctions? We are

joined live in the studio by Professor Nicole Deitelhoff, Director of the Leibniz Institute for Peace and Conflict Research. Good evening, thanks for joining us. -Good evening, Ms Hayali. Let's first discuss sanctions. Upon closer examination, it's clear that the USA and France have continued importing uranium. Hungary, the Czech Republic and Slovakia continue to import oil, while Germany continues to import LNG. What are the West's intentions? These raw materials were certainly on the list of

possible sanctions. The reason they were exempt from sanctions is simply due to the respective countries' perspective that they would be unable to directly divest from these raw material imports from Russia. In that case, isn't the alleged intention to buckle Russia's economy with sanctions deceptive? Sanctions are typically designed to affect others more significantly than the party who imposes them. Consequently, it's crucial to ensure that sanctions don't weaken you more than those you intend

to sanction. Therein lies the problem. Specifically regarding uranium, we are observing both France and the USA take steps towards freeing themselves from this dependency. But this will take time. Additionally, we are observing exports from Germany, which are transported through detours via neighbouring Russian countries, ultimately end up in Russia. How does one seal these loopholes exploited by industries? The longer sanctions persist, the more loopholes exist. Attempts can be made. However,

it would require proving that a company is evading sanctions, which is actually quite cumbersome. I think the USA's current strategy is more critical. They're actually warning other countries that if they assist in evading in sanctions, they'll become the targets of those sanctions themselves. We are suddenly witnessing Chinese banks, banks in the United Arab Emirates, and Turkish banks refrain from processing sanction-related payments for Russia. We are witnessing gradual processes in imposing

sanctions and delivering arms. Rather than supplying everything, as Denmark is currently doing, Germany's defence minister declared that we must be combat-ready first. Is that logical? Would it not make more sense to supply Ukraine with all the resources it needs for victory? That becomes a question of balance. Of course, they require a certain level of equipment to defend themselves in times of immediate crisis. However, the question is whether Ukraine can be supported in such a way that may pr

event these immediate crises. Countries' perspectives vary widely on this matter. Are you referring to the chancellor's hesitation, particularly in regards to the Taurus? Some in Berlin are declaring that perhaps he's clinging onto hope. Hope for peace talks with Putin that would ultimately thwart him. What's your perspective on that? I can't imagine that the chancellor truly believes that, since this would contradict everything we've witnessed from Putin in the last two years. On the contrary,

I believe that if we supply Ukraine with more weapons, it will enable them to exert pressure on Russia once again. At the moment, Ukraine is on the defensive. They have a shortage of arms and most critically, ammunition. Pressure would increase the likelihood of peace talks, which is currently non-existent. On the "heute journal" yesterday, Annalena Baerbock maintained that Putin has no interest in peace. There are continuous reports that he is not interested in peace negotiations. Ukrainian Pre

sident Zelenskyy addressed peace negotiations during a speech today. However, it was unclear whether he was referring to talks with Putin or other negotiators. Is it a ten-point plan? Can you clarify this? It does revolve around his ten-point plan. It pertains to Switzerland's announcement that they intend to hold an international peace conference this summer, which would of course include Ukraine. Ukraine intends to use the conference to discuss a strategy with its international partners, and t

hen subsequently present the strategy to Russian negotiators. That sounds like a ten-point plan to me. I don't believe Russia has any interest in such a conference or approach, nor do I believe it will materialise. Let's return to one issue, Professor. Should such peace negotiations take place, which ultimately lead to peace, how will Russia, a country which has essentially broken every treaty, ever regain trust? What indication do you have that they wouldn't simply take two years to discuss, re

generate and recover before launching another war? Trust is always the first thing that fails during times of war. I would argue that that applies to every conflict. We are certainly confronting an exceptional situation. First and foremost, Ukraine would require security guarantees. This doesn't necessarily need to be enacted through NATO membership. It could be bilateral security guarantees, in which Ukraine's armed forces are equipped and trained in such a way that they can credibly deter Russ

ia. That would be sufficient. A second requirement would be a peace process or a ceasefire agreement, which must be gradually and comprehensively structured. Countermeasures need to be implemented at every stage in order to avoid Russian deception and the costs incurred once again, as was the case with Crimea. As was also the case with Donbass, among many others in the past. Professor Nicole Deitelhoff, Director of the Leibniz Institute for Peace and Conflict Research, thank you for joining us.

Thank you. Now, let's take a look at Ukraine. Today, for the first time in 22 months, the Ukrainian President has provided death toll figures. He spoke of 31,000 Ukrainian soldiers killed 180,000 Russian soldiers. These figures are, of course, difficult for us to verify, and, as I mentioned in the interview just now, Zelenskyy is also said to have possibly indicated that he no longer rules out direct peace negotiations with Russian negotiators. Direct talks with Putin, on the other hand, are sti

ll out of the question for him. Katrin Eigendorf has analysed Zelenskyy's speech. Katrin, you have also been following this war for the past two years. How do you interpret this suggestion that peace talks with Russian negotiators are a possibility? I think we need to assess this statement in the context of the situation Ukraine is currently in. Militarily, Ukraine has its back to the wall in the east. It's having great difficulty defending central positions in the east. In addition, many of its

Western partners, particularly the USA, are exerting great pressure. Of course, one question keeps coming up: What are the prospects for peace here? When will this war end? These voices are getting louder, and against this backdrop, I think Zelenskyy brought up the topic of peace negotiations today to make it clear once again that Ukraine has continued to pursue the option of making peace with Russia. However, Zelenskyy also made it clear which form he wants this to take, namely no direct negot

iations with Putin. I believe that talks with Putin are completely out of the question for the Ukrainians. Instead, they want to coordinate closely with their Western partners to develop a peace plan that would be presented to Russian negotiators. I think Ukraine's top priority at the moment is to achieve its goal of obtaining security guarantees with its Western partners. Because even if we were to go in and perhaps put certain territories up for negotiation with Russia, a notion which is now b

eing discussed in Ukraine, security guarantees are the most important thing for Ukraine. That was Katrin Eigendorf. Thank you for your analysis. And when the Russian war began, the USA offered the Ukrainian president a safe passage out of Ukraine. He is said to have replied that he didn't need a ride, he needed ammunition. To this day, he has not changed his mind. However, he is now getting something else from Germany, Hanna. The German government wants to increase humanitarian aid for Ukraine b

y a further 100 million euros. This was announced by Foreign Minister Baerbock in Mykolaiv in southern Ukraine. Germany's reconstruction aid will thus increase to around 1 billion euros. Baerbock had to end her visit to the region early today for security reasons. Once again, tens of thousands of people took to the streets across Germany to protest against right-wing extremism. According to a police spokesperson, up to 60,000 demonstrators gathered in Hamburg alone under the slogan "We are the f

irewall". Since January, rallies and demonstrations against right-wing extremism have been taking place all over Germany. This was triggered by CORRECTIV's research into a meeting of right-wing extremists, including AfD politicians, at which mass deportation plans were discussed. Former US President Trump has triumphed again in the Republican presidential primaries. After almost all the votes were counted in the South Carolina primary, Trump came in with just under 60%. His rival Nikki Haley, wh

o was once governor of the state, trailed behind with 40% of the vote. Nevertheless, Haley announced her intention to continue in the race. This is Trump's fourth victory in his party's internal primaries. Since this afternoon, Polish farmers have been blocking one of the most important motorway routes between Berlin and Warsaw. Numerous tractors have completely paralyzed the A12 motorway near Frankfurt an der Oder. The blockade is expected to remain in place until midday tomorrow. Among other t

hings, the farmers are protesting against EU environmental regulations and grain imports from Ukraine. The following statistics are just as depressing as they are frightening. Last year, the police registered almost 2,800 crimes against politicians. 1,200 of these crimes were committed against the Greens. The gulf between protest and police protection is becoming ever narrower. In a country where freedom of expression and freedom to demonstrate are a precious commodity, are there other means of

expressing political disagreement or disapproval? Perhaps the Democracy Promotion Act can help here. In any case, the act is intended to help strengthen democracy and civil society by supporting the work of specific associations. But which associations? The traffic light coalition is divided on this question. Dorthe Ferber has more. Why don't you suggest two or three points? I'm listening. Help for victims of hate online. The organisation Hate Aid offers advice to those affected and represents t

hem in court. The work of Hate Aid is financed by donations and state funds, but funding is a constant struggle. What we have seen so far is a patchwork of funding programmes that are not very reliable in the sense that they are sometimes set up to last several years, even though it's not certain whether they'll be approved for that timeframe. The Democracy Promotion Act should hopefully change that. The Democracy Promotion Act actually has a much longer, more complicated name. But the idea behi

nd it is simple. Organisations that strengthen democracy should receive regular funding, says the minister for family affairs. Those who experience marginalisation and attacks should be able to count on us. The adoption of the Democracy Promotion Act is a pressing matter, so I would like to appeal once again to my colleagues in the German Bundestag: Let's pass this law quickly. The Democracy Promotion Act is currently on ice, because the coalition is divided on who should actually receive fundin

g. Under the title "Living Democracy", the federal government is currently providing project-based funding for many initiatives, but not always the right ones, according to the FDP If we look at the 690 projects that are currently being funded under the "Living Democracy" initiative, the majority of them are front organizations for the Greens, the SPD and the Left. And that cannot be the task of the community as a whole. Many projects are likely undisputed, such as the Anne Frank Centre. However

, they, too, are always worried about money. The Democracy Promotion Act failed to pass once before under the SDP and CDU, because the CDU demanded an explicit commitment to the Basic Law from all those receiving funding. At that time, it was particularly important to us that there should be a democracy clause. This time, our expectation and demand, especially to the FDP, with whom we share the view that there must be a democracy clause, is that this clause should stand up to scrutiny and not bu

ckle. Meanwhile, the red-green part of the coalition continues to rely on the agreement of the FDP, and is signalling a willingness to compromise. It is important to say that those who receive state support must, of course, adhere to basic democratic order and represent and defend these values. In this respect, I am open to this clause, but organisations shouldn't be put under general suspicion. In the case of Hate Aid, they are still hoping for the Democracy Promotion Act to pass, though not mu

ch progress is being made on that front at the moment. We, however, are making progress with today's news. So, it's time to move onto sport, specifically the football. Yes, we have three results from this Sunday's Bundesliga matches: Frankfurt and Wolfsburg drew 2:2. Dortmund lost 2:3 at home to Hoffenheim, and Augsburg were beaten 2:1 by Freiburg. Laura Nolte won gold in the monobob event at the IBSF World Championships in Winterberg. Silver went to the Meyers Taylor from the US, and Lisa Buckw

itz from Oberhof took bronze. There was a triple German success to celebrate in the men's two-man bobsleigh event. Francesco Friedrich sailed into his 10th World Championship title. Adam Ammour and Johannes Lochner took home silver and bronze. Luge World Champion Max Langenhan won the overall World Cup for the first time. A third place in the third-to-last World Cup race was enough to secure the 25-year-old from Thuringia an early victory in the battle for the big crystal globe trophy. In Siguld

a, Latvia, former champion Felix Loch was the fastest down the track, putting him back at the top of the podium for the first time in more than a year. When people accuse Israel of enacting genocide on the Palestinians on the public stage, is that still freedom of expression? Is there a need to address these claims directly? When artists call for an end to the war in Israel, should they call on both sides to lay down their arms? When artists talk about the suffering of the civilian population in

Gaza, should they always mention Hamas' acts of terror and the massacres of 7 October, too? And the many hostages who are still in the hands of the Islamists? These are questions which the organisers of the Berlinale, but also the audience, should ask themselves. The 74th Berlin International Film Festival certainly caused quite a stir at its opening and closing. Stefan Merseburg has more. Celebrities and breathtaking gowns are part of the Berlinale, but the festival also claims with pride to b

e the most political of all major film festivals. And yesterday it got political once again, when Basel Adra, Palestinian filmmaker and activist took to the stage. Together with the Israeli journalist Yuval Abraham, he made the film "No Other Land", which rightly won the Berlinale award for best documentary yesterday. "No Other Land" is a captivating and haunting film about the village of Masafer Yatta in the West Bank. The Israeli army wants to build a military training area there, destroying t

he residents' homes in the process... I don't want them to take our home! ...and driving them out of the area. Predictably, the award winners used the stage to send a political message. It is very hard for me to celebrate the award while tens of thousands of people are being slaughtered and massacred in Gaza, and Masafer Yatta continues to be destroyed by bulldozers. I call on Germany to stop sending weapons to Israel. We need a ceasefire, a political solution and an end to the occupation. Direc

tor Ben Russell, wearing a Palestinian keffiyeh, also used the spotlight to send a message. We call for an immediate ceasefire and are, of course, against genocide. Israel has a difficult standing in the world of cinema. At the beginning of the gala, the festival management proactively affirmed the following in an attempt to strive for balance. After the brutal attack by Hamas on 17 October, the situation in Gaza has escalated. We call on Hamas to release the hostages immediately, and we call on

Israel to do everything possible to protect the civilian population in Gaza. Even the opening of the festival was accompanied by political turbulence. "No seats for fascists", demanded activists. Actors chanted. Previously, the festival management had first invited and then disinvited AfD politicians, a move which remains controversial. After five years, the era of Carlo Chatrian and Mariette Rissenbeek is ending. Tricia Tuttle is taking over, and quite a few people expect next year's festival

to be packed with celebrities and outstanding new releases. Now, we're not looking ahead to next year just yet, but only to next week with Kai-Felix Jochens. OUT:LOOK On Monday, Hungary's parliament will vote on Sweden's accession to NATO. Prime Minister Orbán's party had delayed the decision for months out of anger at criticism from Sweden about the rule of law in the country. At the weekend, Orbán and his Swedish colleague Kristersson met for talks and agreed an arms deal. Hungary would be the

last NATO member to approve the agreement. Its approval is expected. Due to a so-called wave strike, there will again be disruptions in local public transport from Monday to Saturday on different days, depending on the region. The trade union Ver.di called for the strike, as current wage negotiations are deadlocked. On the main day of the strike on Friday, local public transport will come to a standstill almost nationwide. Bavaria is the only federal state not affected. No collective salary neg

otiations are currently taking place there. A new expert council and parliament will be elected in Iran on Friday. Numerous moderate candidates have been excluded due to their "lack of ideological qualifications". After the bloody suppression of the protests in 2022, it will be interesting to see how high the voter turnout will be. In the last elections, it was already well below 50%. An even lower turnout would be seen as an expression of resistance to the Mullah regime. And this is what the we

ather will be like in the coming days. Tomorrow it will rain in the southwest, especially in the morning. Otherwise it will be more pleasant and mostly dry. Temperatures will reach 6 degrees on the Baltic coast and 12 degrees in Lower Bavaria. The weather will be changeable over the next few days, with both sunny and cloudy spells. However, there will be hardly any rain. The maximum temperatures will be between 4 and 13 degrees. I'll take the 13 degrees, but without rain. Yes, I'll take that too

. What else would you take? I'd take sunshine, I think. How about more news? -Yes, more news. Tune in at 12:20 AM for the next news bulletin. Heinz Wolf and Marietta Slomka will take over here tomorrow. Take care, wherever you may be. -Goodbye.