Political opponents of Belarusian President Alexander Lukashenko in exile met today in Poland to show unity and plan a joint strategy.
The self-proclaimed government-in-exile, founded in August 2022 by Svetlana Tihanovska, has opened more than 20 alternative embassies and information centers abroad.
The opposition met on the eve of the third anniversary of their unsuccessful post-election protests, and one of the strategies is the issuance of "New Belarus" passports, reports Reuters.
Tihanovska, who fled the country after running against Lukashenko in the 2020 elections, said the opposition would seek international recognition for alternative passports.
Speaking at a Warsaw hotel in front of several hundred activists, including independent media and civic groups, she called on opposition forces abroad to unite and support the creation of the "New Belarus" movement.
"Unfortunately, the past three years have taught us to always prepare for the worst. We are used to the fact that the strongest desire is not enough to change a rotten system," she said.
Tihanovska said that the opposition organizes initiatives for the promotion of theater in the Belarusian language, book printing and education.
"This allows us to preserve our identity – and to pass on our national values to the new generation of Belarusians," said the opposition leader.
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