Today, on March 20, Belarus’ Central Election Commission announced that Aliaksandr Lukashenka’s “inauguration” will take place on March 25. This day has symbolized a free and independent Belarus for 107 years, ever since March 25, 1918, when the Belarusian Democratic Republic was declared an independent state.
Sviatlana Tsikhanouskaya issues a statement on the regime’s decision to hold the “inauguration” on March 25:
“Lukashenka has scheduled his ‘inauguration’ or rather, his ‘coronation’, for March 25, Freedom Day. This is no coincidence. It is yet another demonstration of his contempt for our history. That is why he is staging another political spectacle for his inner circle on this day – he wants his hollow farce to overshadow and devalue a holiday that holds deep meaning for Belarusians. He fights against symbols because he knows they are his weak spot.
But the real inauguration will take place when Belarusians themselves, through free elections, decide who will represent the country. Our choice is not dictated by the regime’s theatrical performances. It does not follow their script, nor does it lose its power due to their attempts to distort reality. Because no decree can appoint or abolish the people’s will”.
