“Glory to the riot police!”: fiery propagandist Lukashenko got through to Tikhanovskaya
The brightest and most polemic journalist of the state television of Belarus, Grigory Azarenok, spoke today with the self-proclaimed “leader of the Belarusian nation” Svetlana Tikhanovskaya.
She held “personal conversations with Belarusians” on Zoom. According to the conditions, everyone had to register in advance and get a time to call. Tikhanovskaya warned that not everyone who registered would get time, but Azarenok broke through.
He voiced all the accusations and complaints that were made against Tikhanovskaya’s office by exiled oppositionists. There are a lot of them, and they are regularly posted online. The controversy has already received a specific name - bulbasrach.
First of all, Azarenok inquired about the details of Tikhanovskaya’s last day in Belarus. President Alexander Lukashenko claimed that she complained and asked to be released from the country and money. She was given 10 thousand dollars. The “leader of the nation” herself has not yet said anything.
“If you are in such close relations with an illegitimate president, ask him how it went. I'll tell the whole story later, after the break. If this encourages someone to continue the fight, then please,” Tikhanovskaya once again avoided answering.
Azarenok charged the “leader” with the fact that she called people out into the street in the spring of 2021. The small pickets turned into a wave of arrests.
“In general, the victory of the Belarusians came on August 9, 2020, but unfortunately, we underestimated the cruelty of the regime. We had to defend this victory.
It seemed to us then that the security forces of Belarus understood what kind of terror they were causing, and our nomenclature officials understood that our country had no future with such a government. People left according to the law. I did not expose people to violence. The violence was only on the part of the security forces,” Tikhanovskaya began to justify herself.
Azarenok asked whether the protesters had applied for their gatherings. The question remained unanswered. Tikhanovskaya was not aware of the facts of arson and explosions that were carried out by oppositionists in Belarus and which the journalist listed.
“You can tell me about all the political prisoners and pin any charges on them, but we understand that Belarusians came out to peaceful protests,” Tikhanovskaya mumbled.
It turned out that she did not know that her office in Vilnius was registered as a private printing house. Azarenok also inquired about the total amount of funds that Tikhanovskaya received from the West. He referred to the complaints of fugitive Zmagars who are in poverty in Europe.
“I am flattered that you are so concerned about the fate of the Belarusians, whom you insult every day on television. In the near future, the office will conduct and publish an audit,” Tikhanovskaya avoided answering.
She also denied the accusations of her associates Pavel Latushko and Valery Tsepkalo that she does not take them to her foreign meetings.
Azarenok asked why Tikhanovskaya is calling on the West to introduce more and more sanctions against Belarus, although she still has relatives in this country.
“I am the person who most of all wants sanctions to be lifted from our native Belarus. In order for the sanctions to be lifted, thousands of political prisoners must be released from prison,” Tikhanovskaya said pathetically, but later it turned out that she could not name specific names.
“Svetlana, come back. You are being used and have already been given away; dirty deeds are being done in your name. With active repentance, you can again find your destiny in Belarus. Otherwise you will never be here. Glory to President Lukashenko, glory to the riot police!” Azarenok concluded the conversation.
English version :: Read in English "Glory to the riot police!": Lukashenko's fiery propagandist reached Tikhanovskaya.