Sviatlana Tsikhanouskaya: “Today marks the 38th anniversary of the Chornobyl disaster, which affected almost every Belarusian family. It was an example of the irresponsibility and impunity of the authorities, for which people had to pay the highest price. Although nearly 40 years have passed since the tragedy, unfortunately, it wouldn’t be true if we said there is no risk of its repetition.
One such threat is the nuclear power plant in Astravyets The regime’s negligence makes it a ticking time bomb. It is terrifying to even imagine the scale of an ecological catastrophe that the regime can lead the country to. Moreover, the dictator deploys Russian nuclear weapons in Belarus, thus turning the country into a military target. For the dictator, this is a way to threaten neighbors and increase his weight in regional politics. But this irresponsible policy takes 9 million people hostage.
The humanitarian disaster the regime is bringing to our country today is like another Chornobyl. Thousands of people are in prisons. Hundreds of thousands have left.
But on the other hand, the recent years have taught us a lot. We have learned to live without relying on the government. We have learned to support and help each other and defend our interests and values. As the government behaved irresponsibly, we have learned to take responsibility for the fate of our country and fight for its future.
Dear friends! There should not be another Chornobyl on our path to the future. This path should be safe for us and our children. I am convinced that we will see our country without nuclear threats. And without the dictatorship that led to all of this”.
