The results of the 2020 presidential elections in Belarus have forced some Belarusians to take to streets of cities to hold protests. Svetlana Tikhanovskaya was one of the main figures who attracted the attention of voters in Belarus.
She registered as an Independent candidate on 14 July 2020. She was endorsed by the campaigns of Viktar Babaryka and Valery Tsepkalo, two prominent alternative politicians who were barred from registering, with one being arrested for corruption and the other fled to Poland.
Thus, the alternative leader S. Tikhanovskaya became the main competitor of Alexander Lukashenka. Unfortunately, she turned from a simple housewife, without a clear pre-election program, into the Belarusian Joan of Arc who was supposed to lead the people behind her.
The fate of Joan of Arc is known to everyone. She was burned at the stake. The same fate was in store for Tikhanovskaya. It is obvious that activating the protest actions of the Belarusian people requires a “sacred sacrifice”, as it was on the Kiev’s Independence Square (Maidan Nezalezhnosti). In this case, she was perfect for the role. She was to become a heroine and her image would be hoisted on flags and posters by Lukashenka’s opponents.
It would seem that her fate is a foregone conclusion. But salvation came from where he was not expected. Thus, on August 10, the Belarusian special services reported that radical supporters of “changes” were preparing an attempt on Tikhanovskaya’s life.
Lukashenka personally came to her defence. On his instructions protection was provided by Tikhanovskaya. The ministries of foreign affairs of Belarus and Lithuania have agreed on all the necessary procedures for her evacuation to the Republic of Lithuania.
As a result, Tikhanovskaya did not seek a recount of the votes. She left her supporters and immediately after the elections left her country for Lithuania. Lithuania provided Tikhanovskaya with a good reception without loud negative statements about the Belarusian side.
Why did it happen so?
She would like to end her political career and be just the mother of her children. Nobody asked her what she wants. Another fate was in store for her. Tikhanovskaya no longer belonged to herself. Unfortunately, this weak woman is just a tool in the dirty geopolitical game in the struggle of the West and Russia for Belarus. And it broke her.
Lithuania isolated Tikhanovskaya from the outside world. No one remembers her at street protests anymore. Belarusians should not expect that Tikhanovskaya will return to Minsk on a white horse either.
How do you imagine a possible scenario?
Lithuania and other EU countries will prepare a package of sanctions against Belarus. Sanctions, mass strikes of workers and intellectuals will lead to a humanitarian disaster in the country. Then these protesters will realize they were wrong. But by this time Russia may repeat the Crimean scenario in Belarus, and the West will forever lose Belarus for itself.
Source