In commemoration of the third anniversary of the falsified presidential election of Belarus, a march of activists against war, aggression and repression in Russia and Belarus was organized in Vilnius on Wednesday evening.
On the Cathedral Square several hundred Belarusian opposition representatives and activists gathered, carrying the flags of democratic Belarus and other symbols. Lithuanian and Ukrainian flags were also fluttering at the event, and national songs performed by the Belarusian opposition were played.
Representatives of the Belarusian opposition and their leader Sviatlana Cichanouskaja, Seimas members Emanuelis Zingeris, Algirdas Sysas, Kęstutis Vilkauskas took part in the event. Thanks to Lithuania were heard during the rally.
"My dear Belarusians. 3 years ago, Belarus changed. Changed once and for all. Our country has returned to the world political map. Thanks to you, thanks to ordinary, and in fact, extraordinary Belarusians, thanks to your courage, honesty, creativity, the whole world talked about Belarus", said S. Cichanouskaja to the audience.
"We can be proud of our nation. Our nation showed the will of freedom, and in 3 years this will has not disappeared anywhere", - one of the leaders of the Belarusian opposition.
S. Cichanouskaja emphasized to the audience that Belarus belongs to the nation, not to usurpers and occupiers.
"I want to tell our enemies - we will not retreat anywhere. Nothing will stop us until we get our country back," she emphasized.
The leader of the Belarusian opposition thanked Lithuania for its support and urged not to identify the Belarusian people with the Russians and Aliaksandr Lukashenko's regime.
Later, several hundred people who participated in the event headed towards the Belarusian embassy.
ELTA reminds that three years ago, presidential elections were held in Belarus, which are not recognized by Western countries, in which allegedly 80,1% of the votes were cast. votes went to Aliaksandr Lukashenka, who has been ruling the country for a long time. According to official data, opposition representative S. Cichanouskaja was second with 10,12 percent. votes, but she did not recognize the results.
S. Cichanouskaja herself left Belarus on the night of August 2020, 11 for her own safety and is still in Lithuania.
Fraudulent elections in the country caused a huge wave of protests, but the Minsk regime quelled them with violence - thousands were arrested and several people were killed.
The municipality had given permission to the organizers of the event to invite up to 500 people.
Gailė Jaruševičiūtė-Mockuvienė (ELTA)
