The former presidential candidate also rejected reports of a split within the opposition movement and stated that she intended to discuss with European leaders the possibility of introducing a visa-free regime for residents of Belarus.
Former presidential candidate Svetlana Tikhanovskaya called on European countries to provide more active support to the Belarusian opposition and increase pressure on Minsk. British newspaper Financial Times published an interview with Tikhanovskaya on Sunday evening.
“We need help right now, and if the European countries, as well as all the other countries supporting our movement, could act faster in making their decisions, it would be very good”, – she said.
According to the newspaper, Tikhanovskaya calls for the imposition of sanctions against the National Olympic Committee of Belarus, which is headed by President Alexander Lukashenko. “It would be a personal blow for him,” she said.
Tikhanovskaya also rejected reports of a split within the opposition movement and said she intended to discuss with European leaders the possibility of a visa-free regime for residents of Belarus so that “they feel more free” and “the [Lukashenko] regime has less power over them.
For several months now, Belarus has been witnessing mass protests against the results of the presidential elections held on 9 August. According to the CEC, the incumbent president Alexander Lukashenko won them with 80.10% of the vote. Second place went to Svetlana Tikhanovskaya with 10.12% of the vote. She did not recognize these results and soon left the country. The Coordinating Council of the opposition created in the republic calls to continue protests, the authorities declare the necessity to stop illegal actions.