Belarus President Alexander Lukashenko has indicated that he may relinquish power. Lukashenko said that he supports a change in the constitution that would undermine the role of the president in the future. He said that he will not be the ‘President’ after this. Lukashenko, however, did not give any time to step down. Lukashenko has been in power in Belarus for the last 26 years, but this time there was a deep controversy over the election results once he was elected President this August. Not only this, people in Belarus have been protesting against them since August itself.
Earlier on Thursday, Russia’s main supporter of Alexander Lukashenko had insisted that he should go ahead with the reform of the constitution. Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov was on a visit to Minsk, the capital of Belarus, and then he said this. However, opposition leaders in Belarus have described Lukashenko’s departure from power as merely a “trick to be avoided”. Opposition leaders say that the presidential elections held on August 9 in Belarus were manipulated. Opposition leaders are demanding immediate resignation of Lukashenko. In Belarus, many opposition leaders opposing President Lukashenko have been detained and many opposition leaders, including Svetlana Tikhonovs kaya, have been forced to remain in exile.
Not only this, the Belarus police are being accused of behaving viciously with anti-incumbent protesters. Alexander Lukashenko, 66, said on Friday that the Belarus constitution should be reformed in the light of the President’s power cuts. After this, he stressed that the proposed reforms would not apply to him as he would not be president under the new system. It is believed that Russia, now considered to be one of Lukashenko’s closest allies, has started pressuring him.
In the capital city of Minsk, Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov reminded Lukashenko that Russian President Vladimir Putin has repeatedly expressed his desire to see constitutional reform in Belarus. BBC correspondent Sarah Rainsford in Moscow believes that Lukashenko seems to have understood Russia’s gesture and is ready to make his way out of power. However Sara also says that Lukashenko is also known for his highly unpredictable and U-turn attitude during his reign, so nothing can be said with certainty right now.
