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Belarus’s Lukashenko says creation of opposition’s Coordination Council ‘coup attempt’

Lukashenko warned those who "joined this headquarters" that "adequate measures" will be taken against them

MINSK, August 18. /TASS/. Creation of the opposition’s Coordination Council is a coup attempt, and adequate measures will be taken against the initiators of this idea, Belarusian President Alexander Lukashenko said Tuesday.

"They [the opposition] toss us another side. And demand to hand over the power, no less. Thus, we view it unambiguously: this is an attempt of a coup, with all ensuing consequences," Lukashenko said during his meeting with the Belarusian Security Council, according to BelTA news agency.

Lukashenko warned those who "joined this headquarters" that "adequate measures" will be taken against them.

"But strictly in accordance with the Constitution and the law. We have enough of those measures to cool some hot heads," the President underscored.

According to Lukashenko, the opposition council is comprised of the former "trough eaters" [people from circles of power, a reference to George Orwell’s Animal Farm].

"There are the formers, the sore, who had a taste of power in the past; as well as deliberate Nazis. Just take a look at the list," Lukashenko said.

According to the Belarusian united opposition’s headquarters, a Coordination Council will begin operating on Tuesday. The opposition expects the Council to become "a single representative body of the Belarusian society."

The Presidential elections in Belarus took place on August 9. According to the Central Electoral Commission, incumbent president Alexander Lukashenko won 80.1% of the vote, followed by Svetlana Tikhanovskaya, who garnered 10.12%. Immediately after the announcement of the initial results, mass protests and strikes engulfed Belarus.