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Crisis in Belarus

Oppositionist Tsepkalo announces formation of National Salvation Front of Belarus

One of the Front's goals is announced as the mobilization of Belarusian people against the "forceful seizure" of power by Alexander Lukashenko

Valery Tsepkalo REUTERS/Evgenia Novozhenina

Valery Tsepkalo

© REUTERS/Evgenia Novozhenina

MINSK, August 12. /TASS/. Unregistered presidential candidate at the Belarusian election Valery Tsepkalo announced on his Telegram channel on Wednesday the formation of the National Salvation Front.

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"I am announcing the formation of the National Salvation Front of the Republic of Belarus," his statement said.

He has formulated the three main goals of the organization, the first one being the "mobilization of Belarusian people to fight against the violations of the Constitution of the Republic of Belarus and the forceful seizure of state power by Lukashenko A. G." Additionally, he announced a "combat to preserve the national sovereignty, democracy and freedom of the Republic of Belarus." The third goal concerns the protection of the "democratic choice of Belarusian people from mass and forceful hoaxes on the part of the government."

The presidential election was held in Belarus on August 9. According to the preliminary data of the Central Election Commission, incumbent president of Belarus Alexander Lukashenko got 80.08% of the vote. Svetlana Tikhanovskaya who was considered his main opponent, was second with 10.09%. She refused to accept these results, considering herself the elected head of state, and filed a complaint with the Central Election Commission. After exit poll results were announced in the evening of August 9, protests erupted in downtown Minsk and other regions of the country, leading to clashes between protesters and law enforcement forces. As a result, according to the republic’s Interior Ministry, about 3,000 people were detained while dozens of policemen and protesters were injured.

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