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- Belarusian opposition politician Maria Kolesnikova disappeared on Monday.
- According to the border guards of Belarus (Belarus), she was arrested while leaving. The opposition contradicts: Kolesnikova tore her passport to avoid a forced departure.
- The owner FDFA is also concerned about Kolesnikova’s fate.
- The planned EU sanctions against supporters of Belarusian President Lukashenko cannot be decided. This is because Cyprus, an EU country, has expressed reservations.
For the EU, Cyprus’ resistance to sanctions is extremely uncomfortable. The Foreign Service recently announced several times that new sanctions on Belarus could soon take effect. With this, the EU wants to quickly put pressure on the Belarusian leaders and give a signal of solidarity with the people.
According to information from the German Press Agency, the EU country Cyprus only wants to lift reserves when the EU also imposes new sanctions against Turkey, due to controversial Turkish gas exploration in the Mediterranean.
Kolesnikova tore up her passport at the border post
Anton Rodnenkow and Ivan Kravzov, two Kolesnikowa employees, told reporters in Ukraine’s capital Kiev: Kolesnikova had torn her passport at a border post in southern Belarus to prevent a forced departure.
She then returned to the Belarusian border crossing, where she is said to have been arrested. Her colleagues crossed the border into Ukraine because they feared they would also be arrested. “Maria is a real hero,” Rodnenkow said. The 38-year-old does not want to leave Belarus under any circumstances.
Anton Rodnenkow (left) and Iwan Krawzow addressed the international media Monday night.
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Lukashenko said in an interview with journalists from Russian state media that Kolesnikova allegedly wanted to flee to Ukraine with her sister. Border officials prevented them from doing so.
Confusing whereabouts
According to the authorities, the arrest was made to “clarify the circumstances.” No details were given. The opposition also confirmed the arrest, but had no further details. She received information that Kolesnikova was being held in a prison in the south of the country.
On Tuesday evening, numerous people gathered in Minsk in solidarity with Kolesnikova. The footage showed how masked forces brutally arrested at least a dozen protesters and dispersed people.
Again there were clashes between the police and protesters on Tuesday.
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The opposition wants a change of power
The background to the protests is the presidential elections of more than four weeks ago. Lukashenko declared himself the winner with 80.1 percent of the votes. The opposition, however, considers Svetlana Tichanowskaya to be the real winner. The vote is criticized internationally for being grossly falsified.
In the interview with Russian state television, the president refused to continue speaking with members of the opposition. This is not an opposition. Everything it offers is a catastrophe for Belarus, ”he said. The 66-year-old claimed that his opponents wanted to “cut ties with fraternal Russia.”
The opposition wants to achieve a peaceful change of power through dialogue with the so-called coordination council. Their representatives had given the authoritarian leadership several talks. In addition, the agency wants to continue working with Russia.
