Pavel Latouchko, former Belarusian minister: "The opposition expects clear support from Europe"

Audio 04:46

Pavel Latouchko in Warsaw, September 3, 2020. REUTERS / Kacper Pempe

By: Sophia Khatsenkova

10 mins

Protests have not abated for nearly a month in Belarus, following the disputed presidential election which awarded 80% of the vote to outgoing President Alexander Lukashenko, in office for 26 years.

Former Ambassador to Poland and France, Minister of Culture from 2009 to 2012, Pavel Latouchko is one of the most senior officials of the Lukashenko regime to have joined the ranks of the opposition within the Coordination Council.

He is currently on a visit to Poland where he represents the opposition.

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Pavel Latouchko

: The aim is not only to be in Poland but to go to other European countries in order to present the position of the Opposition Coordination Council on the current political crisis in Belarus.

We want to discuss possible solutions to get out of this crisis.

Are you thinking of returning to Belarus

I don't intend to seek political asylum, I don't want to be an exile.

I wish to return to Belarus to take part in the resolution of the current political crisis.

President Lukashenko said you have crossed the red line, do you think you will be allowed to return to Minsk

There are already two legal cases against our Coordination Council.

So I guess that risk exists.

But I still hope that we will manage to resolve this situation, to ensure that Belarusian citizens do not leave their country and that

and that this is taken into account in the decision-making process. decisions.

Are you afraid of being arrested

Any normal person is afraid of being arrested, especially since we are talking about illegal acts.

We know well that if I was arrested or arrested like any other member of the Coordination Council, it would be a politically motivated act.

How is the board organized despite all these pressures

Unfortunately our Opposition Coordinating Council has been reduced: out of 70 members, there are only 40 left. And that is not because they no longer want to take part in the discussions or that they do not believe in it more, the reason is simple: it is the repressions to which all the members of this Coordination Council are subjected.

Russia has shown its support for Alexander Lukashenko.

Sergei Lavrov, the head of Russian diplomacy, announced that Russia would not discuss with the Council of the opposition, which he considers illegal.

Does this surprise you

No, that doesn't surprise me.

Russia very quickly denounced the Coordination Council.

But we want to have good relations with Russia as well as with the European Union.

So I find it strange that Sergei Lavrov refuses to take part in a dialogue and to hear the voice of Belarusian citizens.

In this case, is the battle not lost in advance without the support of Russia

No, we believe that the Belarusian people have won and this victory will undoubtedly become a political reality.

There was a click in the minds and souls of Belarusians.

Even if for the moment officially, Moscow does not want to listen to them, the influence of Russia in the short and medium term will weaken in the eyes of the Belarusian people.

And this is not in the interests of the Russians or Belarusians.  

In Poland, you met the Deputy Prime Minister on Thursday.

We know that Poland with the Baltic countries have initiated attempts at mediation.

What did you discuss

The most important thing was to inform him of the real situation in our country, the state of society, the relations of society with the authorities, after the presidential frauds and after the severe mass repressions against peaceful protesters.

The second objective was to expose the scenarios for exiting the political crisis by drawing attention to the fact that the resolution of the crisis must remain an internal Belarusian affair.

At the same time, the issue of possible mediation by the European Union and neighboring countries to try to resolve this situation was also raised.

After Poland, you plan to go to Lithuania.

Do you think the mediation efforts of these countries have a chance of success

I am convinced that we can always find common ground.

That's what my job as a diplomat taught me.

What do you expect from Europe

We are waiting for clear support from Europe.

It is important to resolve the crisis inside the country and that it is the Belarusian people who take care of it.

We are also waiting for the European Union to condemn any possible interference by third countries. 

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