Belarusian opposition cancels Lukashenko and Sunday’s elections

Svetlana Tikhanovskaya says that the ongoing repression shows that Lukashenko and his allies are afraid.

“The trauma of 2020 is still alive and it should eliminate any possibility of an uprising,” the Opposition Leader argues.

“He knows Belarusians don’t accept or forgive him, and they still want change.”

But he admits there is little sign of this in the short term.

After Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine, Belarusians hoped that their neighbors would follow Lukashenko by defeating Putin with help from the West.

Some, after peaceful protests, have chosen to rule for themselves.

But Ukraine’s military is struggling to hold ground, and President Donald Trump is pushing for peace talks.

“The democratic world cannot make concessions to Putin,” Tohanovskaya says, explaining Lukashenko as equally dangerous to the world.

He allowed Russia to launch missiles from Belarus in Ukraine and to pass its tanks through its territory.

It also allowed the free flow of migrants to the Polish border and to the EU.

“It allows Putin to deploy nuclear weapons and military in Belarus, and it’s a short drive from Poland and Lithuania,” Tohanovskaya said.

“He and Putin are a couple and they support other dictators. It’s part of a chain of evil.”

There is little doubt that Sunday will go according to Alexander Lukashenko’s restructuring plan.

“Those people are very capable,” explains Yana, a former political prisoner.

“They really crushed the potential for protest.”

Now he is trying to return to his profession as a veterinarian, only to survive three difficult years in Poland and behind bars.

The ones I’m talking about now are ultimately dying, as is the hope of seeing Lukashenko retire or finally see democracy.

Meanwhile, there has been an interesting increase in many Focus: on reviving Belarusian culture and language, the cause of opposition. In such cases, courage is most important.

“No one is open about it, but we feel that there are no prospects. There is depression,” Nataliya admits.

But there is no obvious regret, even so.

Svetlana Tohanovskaya’s life has changed dramatically since she entered politics.

Cut off from her country, her husband is also a political prisoner – in total isolation for almost two years.

The opposition leader says he still “really believes” in his change.

“2020, there was a big change in mentality in Belarus. I don’t know how long it will take, but this shift will not disappear.”