Proud that Belarusians continue to demonstrate – VG

Its only goal is to remove President Alexander Lukashenko from power.

She believes that he stole her electoral victory.

– Do you see yourself as the next president of Belarus?

– Yes, but only as a transitional figure so that Belarusians can freely elect their own president, says Tikhanovskaya.

Three goals

His message is simply threefold:

– I fight for the release of all political prisoners, a constitutional reform and free presidential elections. That’s it, he tells VG in exile in neighboring Lithuania.

She has become the symbol of the power struggle against Lukashenko, who has ruled Belarus in a dictatorial way since 1994, and now world leaders are lining up to talk to her and show their support for the fight against the dictatorship in her country of origin.

An image of massive threat is the reason why he met VG at a secret address in the Lithuanian capital Vilnius on Monday. He weighs his words carefully and does not want to elaborate on the threat against him.

Tikhanovskaya says she is outraged at how the police are now advancing against peaceful protesters in her home country. The official figures of the authorities are 633 detainees this Sunday alone:

– I am proud that Belarusians take to the streets again and again. I trust they will come out until we win. But I am concerned that the police will use mass violence again, he says.

Six have lost their lives

– This weekend, people in civilian clothes attacked the protesters with batons. They weren’t ordinary cops, but we have no idea who they are. It is also new that women are being attacked, he adds.

– What do you know about the fate of the detainees?

– Six people have died after this violence. Those arrested in the first days were beaten. I have seen many photos of people showing their injuries and hearing what they experienced in prison. I could never believe that it was the Belarusian police who did this, although we may not know everything. I don’t know how many are still in prison, he says.

On the prospects for a political solution through negotiations with the president, he answers the following:

– We have no physical evidence that they are ready for dialogue. But we know that there are people in the power apparatus who doubt. I think the dialogue should start soon, but I don’t see anything in the near future. So we, who coordinate the opposition, must ask for outside help.

As part of this dialogue, He will meet Prime Minister Erna Solberg (H) in Vilnius on Tuesday afternoon.

“I have” 80 percent

The opposition, supported, among others, by the EU and Western European countries, has declared that Lukashenko overthrew the elections four weeks ago. When the Electoral Commission announced that Lukashenko had won 80 percent against Tikhanovskaya’s 10 percent, it exploded on the streets across the country.

Svetlana Tikhanovskaja, who took the place of her husband Sergei Tikhanovska as the main opposition candidate, disappeared when she wanted to make a formal protest against the election result.

The next day, he reappeared in neighboring Lithuania. From there, he leads the fight for Lukashenko to resign and accept free elections.

She will not say what happened at the meeting with the electoral commission, where she was detained for many hours, only to reappear later in neighboring Lithuania.

– My country is in a political crisis. Only one man is responsible for it.

Request explicit support

– What do you ask when you meet international leaders?

– They express concern, and I don’t think it’s just courtesy. I ask for your clear and unequivocal support. I explain that we have a wish: to live in democratic countries like them, and to respect our sovereignty. If any country sees other ways to help us, I would appreciate it.

According to Reuters, the EU is preparing a list of 45 names of the main political echelons and security services, which may be subject to sanctions in the form of entry bans and assets frozen abroad. A decision in the EU can come in two weeks.

Erna Solberg has previously stated that Norway will follow any sanctions of the EU.

The man in jail

– I believe in sanctions. They are at least uncomfortable for leadership, says Tikhanovskaya.

– Your husband has been in prison for three months. What do you know about their condition?

– He’s physically fine, but he’s in jail. I know you are proud of the Belarusians, you were one of those who started this. And supports me.

He says that his two sons, who are also in Lithuania, write letters to him. They can communicate through lawyers who visit the husband in prison a couple of times a week.

– I was a wife and mother who never got me involved in politics. When he was arrested and I started this, I quickly had to learn the language of power and take responsibility for my own decisions. But I don’t feel comfortable in this role even though I feel more secure, surrounded by a good team.

– I’m surprised too, she adds.

To Moscow

This week, Lukashenko announced that he will go to Moscow and meet with President Vladimir Putin, who has already said that he has security forces ready to go to Belarus on short notice.

– Can Putin intervene or is he the only one who can persuade Lukashenko to back down?

– People say that only Putin can influence what happens next. But what matters is what Belarusians think and want. We don’t want anyone to invalidate us. Putin must respect the will of the Belarusian people. And we no longer want this president. But we need Russia, with whom we have significant trade, he says.

PS: Opposition politician Maria Kolesnikova is said to have been abducted by unidentified persons in Minsk, according to NTB-AP. Two other activists cannot be contacted. The three missing are now part of the so-called coordinating council, together with Svetlana Tikhanovskaya. Belarusian police deny having arrested Kolesnikova.