Former presidential candidate Svetlana Tikhanovskaya is “so far” disappointed with the reactions of the international community to the events in Belarus, calls for support to civil society and the introduction of additional sanctions, the British newspaper Times reports.
“The fact that the international community did not recognize (President of Belarus Alexander – ed.) Lukashenko as the legitimate winner (of presidential elections was very important. They showed support, but did not want to solve the problem”, – she said in an interview with the newspaper.
Tikhanovskaya called the EU sanctions against Belarus “a mockery”, the newspaper writes.
“Only 90 people are under sanctions. This is a mockery”, – she said, adding that the authorities in Minsk “are kidding”.
As the newspaper notes, the leader of the Belarusian opposition asks for “support of civil society – the media, human rights activists, strike committees – and the end of financial support” to the Lukashenko government. In addition, according to her, “we need sanctions against those who are involved in violent crimes and judges who condemn innocent people”.
After the presidential elections held in Belarus on August 9, in which Alexander Lukashenko won for the sixth time, who, according to the CEC, gained 80.1% of the vote, mass opposition protests began in the country, which, among other things, were suppressed by the security forces with the use of special means. The opposition believes that Tikhanovskaya won the election, demands new elections and initiates the expansion of international sanctions against Minsk, previously adopted by Western countries.
In Belarus, criminal cases have been initiated against a number of members of the opposition coordination council, created on the initiative of Tikhanovskaya, including calls for the seizure of power, the creation of an extremist formation, and a conspiracy to seize state power in an unconstitutional way. Tikhanovskaya, who left for Lithuania after the elections for security reasons, was put on the interstate wanted list in Belarus and Russia.
The Belarusian authorities have repeatedly stated that the protests in the country are being coordinated from abroad. Lukashenko accused the West of direct interference in the situation in the republic, noted that the unrest is directed by the United States, and the Europeans “play along” with it. Among the countries from which the protest actions are coordinated, Lukashenka named Poland, the Czech Republic, Lithuania and Ukraine.