In an interview with Ukrainian media outlet nv.ua, Belarusian opposition leader Svyatlana Tsikhanouskaya has attempted to explain why Belarusians did not respond to police violence amid the post-election protests.
“I know lots of people say that we need to act decisively. In turn, I do believe that Alyaksandr Lukashenka will stop at nothing in order to retain power. If he needs it, he will get a million people shot.
Until recently, I believed in his humaneness, but now I realise that it is already a thing of the past, he will go to extreme lengths. In light of this, do we really need active confrontation? I do not have an answer to that question. It depends on the Belarusians,” Svyatlana Tsikhanouskaya said.
She also commented on a possibly winning strategy regarding the would-be negotiations with the Belarusian authorities. According to the opposition leader, it is no point in building up a dialogue with Lukashenka alone; in her opinion, the opposition should get in contact with top officials.
“One should hold talks with the political elite belonging to Lukashenka’s inner circle, with those who still have scruples and principles, who sees that the political and humanitarian crisis is deteriorating due to Lukashenka and it is time to negotiate. No one takes Lukashenka into account – everyone realises that he will not agree to any negotiations and will be hanging on to his power until the end. But we appeal to those [officials] who are alive to the fact that their own children will also be living in this country,” Tsikhanouskaya stressed.
A few days ago, Svyatlana Tsikhanouskaya told the German weekly Bild that Alyaksandr Lukashenka would have to leave within the next few months.
