HELSINKI (Pakistan Point News / Sputnik - 23rd January, 2021) Belarusian opposition figure and ex-presidential candidate Svetlana Tikhanovskaya has said that the opposition movement became less active due to cold weather, but the protests will regain their momentum in spring.
On Thursday, Tikhanovskaya arrived in Estonia to participate in a virtual meeting of the UN Security Council dedicated to human rights issues in Belarus. The opposition figure also met with Estonian President Kersti Kaljulaid and Prime Minister Juri Ratas to discuss the situation in the country.
"You should understand that the protest movement has not stopped now. The lack of mass demonstrations is natural because people are tired, and it is cold now. But it is important that it has not changed in minds and hearts. Now the popular movement will be accelerating and will recover its previous scale by spring. However, everything depends on Belarusians," Tikhanovskaya said, as quoted by the ERR broadcaster.
She added that the protests in the country did not subside, even though fewer people participated in the rallies.
Belarus entered a prolonged political crisis after the August 9 presidential election, won by incumbent President Alexander Lukashenko. The opposition did not recognize the results, claiming that Svetlana Tikhanovskaya was the real winner. Western countries have refused to recognize Lukashenko's victory and slapped sanctions on dozens of Belarusian officials over alleged election fraud and crackdown on the opposition.
