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Coordination Council (Belarus)

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Coordination Council
Template:Lang-be
Template:Lang-ru
Formation14 August 2020 (2020-08-14)
Region served
Belarus
Official language
Russian, Belarusian
Key people
Sviatlana Tsikhanouskaya
AffiliationsBelarusian opposition
WebsiteOfficial website Edit this at Wikidata
Politics of Belarus

Commonwealth of Independent States CIS Member State

Constitution
Presidency
President
Alexander Lukashenko
Executive
Prime Minister
Roman Golovchenko
National Assembly
National Assembly
All-Belarusian People's Assembly
All-Belarusian People's Assembly
Judiciary
Administrative divisions
Elections
Presidential elections

Parliamentary elections

Foreign relations
Ministry of Foreign Affairs
Minister: Sergei Aleinik
flag Belarus portal

The Coordination Council[1] (Template:Lang-be; Template:Lang-ru)[2] is a body of 600 members[3] with a 7-member presidium[4] created by presidential candidate Sviatlana Tsikhanouskaya during the 2020 Belarusian protests[5] that followed the disputed 2020 Belarusian presidential election.[6] The first meeting of the Council took place on 18 August.[7]

Formation

The formation of the Coordination Council was announced in a video released by Tsikhanouskaya on 14 August in which she also claimed that she had received between 60 and 70% of the vote in the 9 August presidential election, and appealed to the international community to recognise her as the winner.[8] Tsikhanouskaya stated that the aims of the council is to coordinate a peaceful and orderly transfer of power from incumbent president Alexander Lukashenko[9][10][11] and to hold a new, free and fair presidential election at the earliest opportunity. On 17 August, Tsikhanouskaya released a video in which she stated that she is ready to lead a transitional government.[12] The council held its first press conference on 18 August 2020, with questions being answered by Olga Kovalkova, Maxim Znak, Maria Kalesnikava, Pavel Latushko and Sergey Dylevsky.[13] Tsikhanouskaya recorded an appeal to EU leaders in English on 19 August, appealing to them to not recognise the results of the presidential election in a meeting of EU heads of government scheduled for later that day.[14]

Aims, objectives and policy positions

Aims and objectives

The council has stated that its primary goals are:[15]

  • To end political persecution of citizens and for those responsible to be brought to justice.
  • For the release of all political prisoners in Belarus.
  • The annulment of the 9 August presidential election and for new elections to be conducted to international standards organised by a reconstituted central elections commission.

Foreign policy

Council presidium member Pavel Latushko has stated that the council does not want to radically change the course of Belarusian foreign policy, adding that they want to maintain "friendly and profound" relations with Russia, as well as to have a good working relationship with the European Union and to act as a bridge between the east and west.[16]

Structure

Tsikhanouskaya stated that applications to the council were open to Belarusian citizens who considered the officially declared election results to be falsified, and who were trusted by social groups. Applications were invited from individuals representing workers' groups, political parties, trade unions and other organisations of civic society and from authoritative figures such as doctors, teachers, business leaders, authors or sportspersons.[17] Olga Kovalkova and lawyer Maxim Znak were given responsibility for collating and approving membership applications.[18]

Presidium

Members of the presidium

The council elected a 7-member presidium on 19 August, who were expected to name a chair from amongst their members.[19] The members of the presidium are:[4][20]

Members

An initial membership list, consisting of 35 members, was circulated on 17 August and expanded to 51 members on 18 August.[22][23] Members include Nobel Prize laureate Svetlana Alexievich, athlete Nadzeya Astapchuk, film director Jury Chaščavacki, civic leader Ales Bialiatski, politician Jury Hubarewicz [ru], physicist Alexander Dabravolski, politician Andrei Egorov [ru], Mikalai Kazlov of the United Civic Party of Belarus, Andrei Kureichik, politician Vital Rymasheuski, painter Vladimir Tsesler [ru], and representative of the joint opposition headquarters Maria Kalesnikava and former minister of culture Pavel Latushko.[24] Kovalkova and Znak are also members of the council.[24] As of 24 August 2020, the council consisted of 600 members.[3]

Reaction

Domestic

President of Belarus Alexander Lukashenko said that the opposition's formation of a coordinating council is "an attempt to seize power with all the ensuing consequences." He stated that the authorities would "take adequate measures, but only in accordance with the constitution and the law."[25] Lukashenko stated about the members of the coordinating council as follows: "Some of them were once in or close to power. They were kicked out and hold a grudge. Others are outright Nazis. Just take a look at their names."[26][27] Former presidential contender Valery Tsepkalo said that he did not understand the criteria for the formation and tasks of the new council. He complained that he was not invited.[28]

Criminal investigation

On 20 August, Alexander Konyuk, the Prosecutor General of Belarus, initiated criminal proceedings against the members of the Coordination Council under Article 361 of the Belarusian Criminal Code, on the grounds of attempting to seize state power and harming national security.[29][30] On the same day, council members Sergey Dylevsky and Maxim Znak were summoned for police questioning.[31] The home of Pavel Latushko was also daubed with red paint. Znak and Dylevsky arrived for questioning on the morning of 21 August and were later released.[32]

On 24 August, presidium members Sergei Dylevsky and Olga Kovalkova were detained by OMON officers whilst attempting to support striking workers at the Minsk Tractor Works factory.[33] Lilia Vlasova, Pavel Latushko and Svetlana Alexievich and Maria Kalesnikava were also summoned for questioning.[34] Both Kovalkova and Dylevsky were sentenced to 10 days' imprisonment the following day.[35]

International

Tsikhanouskaya has asked the international community to support the efforts of coordination council.[36]

  • Russia On 25 August, a spokesperson for Russian President Vladimir Putin welcomed that the leadership of the Coordination Council did not want to reduce ties with Russia and instead hoped to continue with good bilateral relationships between the two countries.[42]
  • United States The US Secretary of State in a statement urged the Belarusian government to actively engage Belarusian society, including through the newly established Coordination Council, in a way that reflects what the Belarusian people are demanding, for the sake of Belarus’ future, and for a successful Belarus.[43]

See also

References

  1. ^ "Ex-Belarusian presidential candidate Tikhanovskaya's HQ starts forming coordination council to ensure transition of power". Interfax-Ukraine. Retrieved 16 August 2020.
  2. ^ "Штаб Тихановской набирает участников в координационный совет по передаче власти". znak.com. 15 August 2020. Retrieved 17 August 2020.
  3. ^ a b "Do Rady Koordynacyjnej białoruskiej opozycji weszło już 600 osób" [600 people have already been included in the Belarusian opposition Coordination Council]. TVN (in Polish). Polish Press Agency. 24 August 2020. Retrieved 27 August 2020. {{cite news}}: Check |archiveurl= value (help)CS1 maint: url-status (link)
  4. ^ a b "Президиум" [Presidium]. Coordination Council (Belarus) (in Russian). 2020. Archived from the original on 27 August 2020. Retrieved 27 August 2020.
  5. ^ "Thousands flood Belarus capital as election protests grow". AP NEWS. 14 August 2020. Retrieved 16 August 2020.
  6. ^ "Alexander Lukashenko Warns Belarus 'Will Die as a State' If It Agrees to Hold New Elections". sputniknews.com. 16 August 2020. Retrieved 17 August 2020.
  7. ^ "В организованном Тихановской координационном совете по передаче власти назвали дату первой встречи". канал Дождь. 17 August 2020.
  8. ^ "Belarus opposition candidate declares victory". NHK WORLD-JAPAN News. 15 August 2020.
  9. ^ "Belarus election: Exiled leader calls weekend of 'peaceful rallies'". BBC News. 14 August 2020. Retrieved 15 August 2020.
  10. ^ polishnews (15 August 2020). "Belarus. Swiatłana Cichanouska creates the Coordination Council for the "transfer of power" in the country". Polish News. Retrieved 16 August 2020.
  11. ^ admin. "Belarus: opposition candidate forms Coordination Council for transfer of power | MbS News". Retrieved 16 August 2020.
  12. ^ "NEXTA Live Translated to English". Telegram.
  13. ^ "Создание Координационного Совета: итоги пресс-конференции". rada.vision. 18 August 2020.
  14. ^ Belarus opposition leader calls on EU not to recognise 'fraudulent' elections. YouTube (19 August 2020). Retrieved on 2020-08-26.
  15. ^ "Итоги первого заседания Координационного Совета". rada.vision. 19 August 2020.
  16. ^ "Belarusian opposition ready for contacts with Russia". TASS. 20 August 2020.
  17. ^ Grekowicz, Nikita (16 August 2020). "Łukaszence został już tylko Putin, Cichanouska wzywa do lokalnego przejmowania władzy" [Lukashenko only has Putin left, Tsikhanovskaya calls for local taking over of power]. OKO.press (in Polish). Archived from the original on 16 August 2020. Retrieved 16 August 2020.
  18. ^ "Tikhanovskaya initiates creation of coordination council to transfer power in Belarus". TASS. Retrieved 16 August 2020.
  19. ^ "Структура Координационного Совета". rada.vision.
  20. ^ "В Беларуси Координационный совет оппозиции сформировал президиум". Deutsche Welle. 19 August 2020.
  21. ^ Klauziński, Sebastian; Piasecki, Maciek (19 August 2020). "Powrót terroru? OMON i milicja na ulicach, Łukaszenka nie chce więcej 'zamieszek'" [Terror again? OMON and the police on the streets, Lukashenko doesn't want 'clashes']. OKO.press (in Polish). Archived from the original on 20 August 2020. Retrieved 20 August 2020.
  22. ^ "Члены Координационного Совета". rada.vision.
  23. ^ "Вольга Кавалькова". Facebook.
  24. ^ a b "The names of the first Belarusians included in the coordination council to ensure the transfer of power have become known". belapan.by. 17 August 2020. Archived from the original on 17 August 2020.
  25. ^ Gusarov, Sergei (19 August 2020). "«Мы это расцениваем однозначно»: Лукашенко назвал создание координационного совета оппозиции попыткой захвата власти". RT (in Russian).
  26. ^ "Opposition's coordinating council described as attempt to seize power in Belarus". eng.belta.by. 18 August 2020. Retrieved 19 August 2020.
  27. ^ Kuznetsova, Asya (18 August 2020). "Лукашенко назвал создание Координационного совета попыткой переворота". Komsomolskaya Pravda. Retrieved 19 August 2020.
  28. ^ "Цепкало пожаловался, что его не пригласили в координационный совет Белоруссии". www.mk.ru (in Russian). 19 August 2020. Retrieved 19 August 2020.
  29. ^ "МАЯ КРАІНА БЕЛАРУСЬ". Telegram.
  30. ^ "Belarus Opens Criminal Probe Against Oppositions Coordination Council- Prosecutor General". UrduPoint.
  31. ^ "Координационный совет". Facebook.
  32. ^ "Belarus Coordination Council member arrives for Investigative Committee meeting". AFP via MSN.
  33. ^ Nilsson, Roland (24 August 2020) Sergei Dylevsky and Olga Kovalkova of the Coordination Council detained by police outside MTZ, Minsk. Twitter
  34. ^ "Сьвятлану Алексіевіч выклікалі ў Сьледчы камітэт у справе аб закліках да «захопу ўлады»". Радыё Свабода.
  35. ^ Makhovsky, Andrei (25 August 2020) Belarus jails two opposition leaders; teachers head rally of thousands. Reuters
  36. ^ "Тихановская готовится объявить себя победительницей выборов в Беларуси – пресс-секретарь". gordonua.com.
  37. ^ "EU Calls on Belarus to Drop Criminal Case Against Opposition Body". News18.
  38. ^ "Lithuanian president supports Belarus opposition plan for power transition council | Politics". Devdiscourse. Retrieved 16 August 2020.
  39. ^ "Baltic States Urge New Election In Belarus, Call For EU Sanctions". RadioFreeEurope/RadioLiberty.
  40. ^ "Tweet of Linas Linkevicius (@LinkeviciusL)". Twitter. Retrieved 15 August 2020.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: url-status (link)
  41. ^ "Saulius Skvernelis". www.facebook.com.
  42. ^ Песков оценил заявление белорусской оппозиции о сотрудничестве с Россией :: Политика :: РБК. Rbc.ru (22 December 2016). Retrieved on 2020-08-26.
  43. ^ "Supporting the Aspirations of the Belarusian People". US Department of State. 20 August 2020.

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