August 13, Pozirk. The Coordination Council’s faction Biełarusy, formerly known as the Prakopjeŭ-Jahoraŭ Bloc, has proposed that Śviatłana Cichanoŭskaja should hold an election in 2025 to have her mandate extended.
The statement comes days after Andrej Jahoraŭ, Vadzim Prakopjeŭ and Alaksandar Knyrovič, on behalf of the Biełarusy faction, criticized “the indefinite extension” of Cichanoŭskaja’s mandate as national leader enshrined in a protocol of cooperation between Cichanoŭskaja, her office, the Coordination Council and the United Transitional Cabinet. The protocol was adopted at the New Belarus Conference 2024 in Vilnius on August 3.
The election would allow voters to choose the best platform and track its implementation, says Biełarusy in a statement posted on Telegram.
The group called on the opposition to work this year toward election transparency and inclusiveness.
Critics of the election say a low turnout could undermine the opposition leader’s international recognition, the statement said.
“We disagree. Our Western partners are guided only by their national interests, not by the pro-democracy forces’ internal indicators amid the repression of the [Alaksandar] Łukašenka regime. For them, our commitment to democracy, transparency and transition of power is more important,” it added.
