According to the opposition website tut.by, some employees of state television channels met again on Thursday in Independence Square in Minsk, chanting: “The truth!”. Passing cars honked their support, but the atmosphere was calm. All access to the building of the National State Broadcasting Company of the Republic of Belarus (Belta) is still blocked.
However, television continues to broadcast in a pro-regime tone. Several former Belta employees have announced the creation of an alternative platform that will broadcast online.
Opposition: We will not prevent Lukashenko from running
The Coordinating Council, set up by the opposition to help smooth the transfer of power, met for the first time on Wednesday. She chose a seven-member leadership. Among other things, it included Maryja Kalesnikavová, who said on Thursday, according to the Interfax agency, that the opposition would not prevent Lukashenko from participating in the repeated elections he was seeking. They are to take place as soon as possible, but they want to completely restore the composition of the Central Election Commission.
“We see that (Lukashenko) has lost, despite pressure from the authorities and the grossest falsification of results,” Kalesnikavova said. “We assume that every Belarusian citizen must have the right to vote without any obstacles. But we do not believe that Lukashenko will accept it, “she added.
Kalesnikava warned that Lukashenko’s valid mandate will expire on November 5 this year. According to the authorities, Lukashenko won the presidential election on August 9 for the sixth time, this time with more than 80 percent of the vote. However, the president’s opponents reject this result as falsified and consider the opposition candidate Sviatlana Cichanouska, who went to Lithuania under pressure from the authorities, to be the real winner.
Lithuanian Prime Minister Saulius Skvernelis met with Cichanouska, calling her the country’s “national leader” and promising to help hold a new vote.
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The council is being prosecuted for seizing power
Belarusian Attorney General Alexander Kukuk immediately announced that his office was prosecuting the coordination council on suspicion of “seizing power.” “The creation and operation of the coordination council is aimed at the seizure of state power, as well as damage to national security. Criminal proceedings have begun in the case, “said the prosecutor.
Kalesnikava responded by saying that the council’s goal was to find a way out of the political crisis and build consensus in society, and assured that the council will continue to operate, regardless of pressure.
“We do everything openly and transparently, we publish everything. We do not see any violation of the law in this, on the contrary, we see our steps as aimed at restoring the rule of law in the country. If this is a crime, then we have a problem with legality in Belarus, “said lawyer and board member Maksim Znak, according to the Tut.by server.
Several members left the council due to pressure
The sign also stated that several members, albeit none of the presidency, had left the council due to threats from the Belarusian regime. “Yesterday (Wednesday) we received several announcements about leaving Lukashenko after allegations of the alleged goals of the council, which we have repeatedly denied. Today there was one announcement of leaving after the prosecution. However, none of the members of the presidency left the council, “Interfax quoted Znaka as saying. According to him, the nobelist Světlana Alexijevičová also remains in the lead, who missed the first meeting of the council due to illness.
The house of former Minister of Culture and member of the opposition Coordinating Council Pavel Latušek was painted red by blood. Latuška was removed from the position of director of the National Academic Theater, Jan Kupal, on 17 August due to public support for the protests. IN interview for the Russian equivalent of the BBC he admitted that he was receiving threats and that he was strongly advised to leave the country.
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