Poland: the Belarusian diaspora gathered in Warsaw to demand the departure of Lukashenko
Audio 01:19
Belarusian opposition demonstrators in Warsaw on May 29, 2021. AFP - WOJTEK RADWANSKI
Text by: RFI Follow
4 min
In Poland, hundreds of people responded to the appeal of Svetlana Tikhanovskaya, Belarusian opposition leader, to show their support for the country and demand the departure of leader Lukashenko.
A rally took place this afternoon in the capital Warsaw, where the Belarusian diaspora is numerous, in the presence in particular of the parents of Roman Protassevich, this journalist arrested with his companion by the Minsk regime, after the hijacking of a plane from Ryanair line.
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With our correspondent in Warsaw,
Sarah Bakaloglou
In the crowd, Ira, a 20-year-old Belarusian woman, holds a flag firmly over her shoulders.
Her whole family still lives in Belarus, a source of great concern for the young woman.
“
Today, I am really afraid for them, because now it is very difficult to leave Belarus,
” she explains.
I want to scream as loud as I can.
It's scary to live there.
You can go to jail because of a photo with that red and white flag, you can be killed, be deprived of your liberty.
To me, it doesn't make sense that this kind of thing is happening in Europe!
"
In the ranks, a petition is circulating asking the European Union to take economic sanctions, in particular against companies linked to the
leader Lukashenko
.
For Genek, who arrived in Warsaw in October, the support of the international community is essential.
“
Until today, the reaction of the international community was limited to words, and today it is actions.
It is very good that the European Union reacts like this, because without outside help, perhaps the regime will fall, but the cost will be enormous for the Belarusian population.
With help, the regime will fall first,
”he said.
For the young man, the international community must recognize the Lukashenko regime as a terrorist regime in order to further isolate it.
►Also read: Ryanair flight intercepted: "This is a sign of great excitement" from Belarus
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Poland
Belarus
European Union
Alexander Lukashenko