'Self-inauguration operation': Lukashenko secretly took office as President of Belarus

Minsk hosted the inauguration of Alexander Lukashenko, who took office as President of Belarus, state news agency BelTA reported. The inauguration was not publicly announced, so the announcement of Lukashenka’s assumption of office came as a complete surprise to the country's residents and journalists. Writes about it with the BBC.

Photo: Shutterstock

The ceremony took place at the Palace of Independence. The BelTA statement said that “several hundred people were invited.”

“Putting his right hand on the Constitution, Alexander Lukashenko took the oath in the Belarusian language,” BelTA reports. “Then he signed the act of taking the oath, after which the chairman of the Central Commission of Belarus for Elections and Republican Referendums, Lidiya Ermoshina, presented Alexander Lukashenko with the certificate of the President of the Republic of Belarus.”

In accordance with the Constitution of Belarus, the president must take office two months after the end of the elections, that is, no later than October 9. On Wednesday, September 23, in the morning, Lukashenko’s press secretary Natalya Eismont, in an interview with RIA Novosti, refused to name the date of the ceremony, but promised that “closer to the time of the inauguration, we will definitely inform you.”

In the morning, information appeared in the Belarusian media and telegram channels that the center of Minsk was closed. There were also published photographs of President Lukashenko's motorcade, which arrived at the Palace of Independence.

“The color revolution did not take place”

Belarusian media quote Lukashenko’s speech at the inauguration, in which he stated that it was not possible to organize a “color revolution” in the country.

“Our statehood was presented with an unprecedented challenge - a challenge from repeatedly proven, fail-safe technologies for the destruction of independent states,” Lukashenko said. “But we were among the very few—perhaps even the only ones—where the color revolution did not take place.”

On the subject: 'I sat out, but I won't just leave': Lukashenko spoke about the situation in Belarus, Putin and Poroshenko

“I cannot, I do not have the right to abandon Belarusians, who have linked not only political preferences to the state course, but also their destiny, the future of their children, everyone who remained loyal to the country and people during such a difficult period for Belarus,” Lukashenko also said .

Lukashenko announced his victory in the presidential elections on August 9, but the opposition and Western countries consider the voting results to be falsified and insist that opposition candidate Svetlana Tikhanovskaya won the majority of votes.

For more than a month in Belarus, mass protests have not subsided, the participants of which are detained and beaten.

According to the law “On the President of the Republic of Belarus,” the oath must be broadcast on radio and television. Telegram channel Nexta notes that the TV channels “Belarus-1” and ONT showed the series “When entering the house, look around” and “Blue Nights” during the oath-taking.

Opposition reaction

A member of the presidium of the Coordination Council of the Belarusian Opposition, former Minister of Culture Pavel Latushko called Lukashenko’s actions “a self-inauguration operation.”

“Under the protection of riot police, in an atmosphere of secrecy and secrecy, in a narrow circle of hastily brought together officials. Where are the jubilant citizens? Where is the diplomatic corps? - comments the oppositionist. — As of today, he is no longer the President of the Republic of Belarus. He is just the head of the riot police, who operates on the streets of Belarus without insignia, and a bunch of bureaucrats. For us, citizens of Belarus, for the world community, he is now a nobody. An unfortunate mistake of history and a disgrace to the civilized world.”

Appeals appeared on the Internet for residents of Belarusian cities to go to protest actions. Drivers are urged to block roads.

As ForumDaily wrote earlier:

• In Belarus, on Sunday, August 9, the presidential elections were held, which were initially accompanied by mass protests of people who disagreed with the policies of the current president, Alexander Lukashenko, who has been ruling the country for 26 years. After the announcement of the results protests erupted with renewed vigor, many disagree and doubt their veracity.
• Thousands of people gathered to protest against falsification of elections in Belarus. They are beaten and dispersed by the security forces. One person died... Svetlana Tihanovskaya left the country.
• On August 12, the European Union and the United States announced that the presidential elections in Belarus on August 9, in which the incumbent President Alexander Lukashenko was declared the winner, were neither free nor fair... The EU and the US plan to impose new sanctions against Minsk.
• August 12 police officers opened fire to kill the protesters.
• 12 August women in different cities of the country formed living chains and sang lullabies near the monuments. TV presenters were fired from state channels, and military personnel and police officers threw uniforms and insignia into garbage cans.
• How detained protesters are bullied in Belarus, read in our material.
• For those affected by the protests already raised over two million dollars... At the same time, the money is collected through the personal Facebook of the campaign organizer, and there will be no detailed reporting on payments. But this is the only working scheme for Belarus - otherwise the fundraisers may be jailed.
• August 16, Minsk hosted the largest political protest in the history of Belarus - hundreds of thousands of people came out under white-red-white flags. The “Freedom March”, as the opposition called its action, took place immediately after the rally in support of President of Belarus Alexander Lukashenko.
• On August 19, a coordinating council of the opposition, created by supporters of Svetlana Tikhanovskaya for the transfer of power in the country, began work in Belarus. Alexander Lukashenko called the creation of the council an attempt to seize power and threatened with harsh measures.
• The protests have been going on for over a month. Tens of thousands of Belarusians go to marches in all cities of the country.

Read also on ForumDaily:

'We have to do it': Lukashenka closed the border of Belarus with the West

'I sat out, but I won't just leave': Lukashenko spoke about the situation in Belarus, Putin and Poroshenko

Order, adrenaline, psychotropic drugs: why the Belarusian OMON is behaving so cruelly

Mass action in support of protesters in Belarus was held in New York: photo report

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