Cichanoŭskaja to convene opposition conference in Warsaw on election day (Live coverage of Belarusian Days in Brussels)

Opposition leader accuses Łukašenka of dragging Belarus deeper into war

December 12, Pozirk. (12:23) Alaksandar Łukašenka’s regime continues to supply weapons to Russia and drag Belarus deeper into war, Belarusian opposition leader Śviatłana Cichanoŭskaja said yesterday.

The politician made this statement at the fourth meeting of the EU Consultative Group with the Belarusian opposition in Brussels which hosts a series of events designed to demonstrate the EU’s solidarity and continued commitment to the Belarusian people.

The security guarantees treaty between Belarus and Russia signed last week increases Belarus’ dependence on Russia and poses risks of an escalation, the politician said.

Russia views Belarus as its territory and uses Belarusian airspace to attack Ukrainian cities, while Minsk faces more difficulties in concealing its participation in the war, Cichanoŭskaja said, noting that discontent with such policies is reportedly growing even among Belarusian officials.

In an escalation, Belarus may become a Russian military outpost, while potential peace talks harbor the risk that Belarus becomes Moscow’s consolation prize, she added. The Belarusian pro-democracy forces seek to prevent it and demand the withdrawal of Russian troops both from Ukraine and Belarus, the politician stressed.

“As long as Belarus is under the rule of a pro-Russian dictator, Ukraine and the entire region will be constantly threatened,” Cichanoŭskaja said.

The politician also urged the EU to work out a joint strategy for Belarus with the US new political leadership.

December 12, Pozirk. (12:09) Belarusian pro-democracy forces will hold a conference in Warsaw on January 26, Śviatłana Cichanoŭskaja said yesterday.

The event is timed to coincide with the main voting day in Belarus’ presidential election denounced as a sham by the opposition.

The congress will outline opposition priorities for 2025 and “demonstrate our unity and solidarity with political prisoners,” she told the he fourth meeting of the EU Consultative Group with Belarusian pro-democracy forces in Brussels.

“It is important to convey to the Belarusians that our struggle continues,” the politician said. “The regime in Belarus is far from stability and we should be ready for any unexpected developments. Changes can come unexpectedly in dictatorships, as the events in Syria have shown.”

The relentless politically-motivated reprisals in the run-up to the January 21-26 poll show that Alaksandar Łukašenka and his officials are insecure, Cichanoŭskaja said, noting that the election will fail to create an illusion of competition.

Authorities plan the election as a military operation, mocking the democracy, the politician added, encouraging Belarusians to vote against all candidates or protest in any other safe form. “No one will count the votes, but we should use this campaign to keep up pressure on Łukašenka,” she said.

“Regardless of the numbers Łukašenka will put down in the final tally, the poll should not change the EU policy. He is not the president and will not regain any legitimacy after January,” Cichanoŭskaja stressed.

Belarus has not held a single free and fair election since 1996 by the standards of the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe.