Pavel Latushka isolated himself due to being infected with the novel coronavirus, he said on Telegram. The politician is staying in Poland.
“Unfortunately, I have been diagnosed with COVID-19. In general, I am doing well, I have no fever. I am in self-isolation, but I keep working. I believe it is very important that we move towards our victory. Dear friends, take care of yourselves!” he wrote on October, 22.
A day earlier, he took part in a teleconference with opposition leader Svyatlana Tsikhanouskaya and representatives of the Belarusian Cultural Solidarity Foundation. A number of state and private cultural institutions might join the nationwide strike, he said.
Last week, Tsikhanouskaya’s team published the text of People’s Ultimatum they are going to issue to Alyaksandr Lukashenka and Belarusian officials. They strongly urge the regime to fulfil the following demands in the near future: Lukashenka’s announcing his resignation; putting an end to police violence in the streets; releasing all political prisoners. According to the opposition, if they have not been met by October 25, the entire country ‘will take to the streets to peacefully deliver People’s Ultimatum; on October 26, all enterprises will start striking’.
Pavel Latushka is a former minister of culture of Belarus; he also served as Ambassador to Poland and France. In March 2019, he was appointed director of the Yanka Kupala National Academic Theatre. He lost his job after he openly supported anti-government protesters, including his subordinates who took part in rallies, and condemned police abuse and violence against dissidents.
Pavel Latushka also joined the board of the opposition Coordination Council which was set up by Tsikhanouskaya and her associates as part of taking urgent measures to restore law and order in Belarus as well as to ensure the transfer of power in the country. Belarus’ Prosecutor General opened a criminal case over establishing the Council, naming it a ‘threat to national security’. In early September, Belarusian special services gave Latushka an unpleasant choice: either he leaves the country, or a criminal case will be instituted against him.
