Lukashenko “closes” the country and goes on the offensive. Belarusians respond with new creative protests
27 December 2020 | BYHelp-Mediagroup
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In 2020, Belarusians have become an example of determination and perseverance to the whole world in winning their rights. White and red colors have become a symbol of a peaceful protest against despotism.
On the eve of Christmas, Belarusian Catholics with bated breath awaited the arrival of the archpriest of the Catholic Church in Belarus. The Archbishop of Minsk and Mahiliou Tadeusz Kandrusewicz was not allowed to enter Belarus on 31 August 2020 without any explanation. Later, Lukashenko accused him of allegedly traveling to Poland “to seek advise on how to destroy the country.” The archbishop was allowed to return back into the country thanks to the intervention of the Pope. Perhaps this is just the first step towards the beginning of large-scale “bargaining” of the dictator with the West. It should be reminded that Lukashenko has 169 more political prisoners in reserve for this purpose.
At the same time, after closing the country Lukashenko went on the offensive: employees of the “Press Club Belarus” were detained on 22 December and several more journalists from regional publications were detained later on. In response to the 3rd package of EU sanctions, the Belarusian Foreign Ministry began to intimidate the European Union with retaliatory measures and yammering TV propaganda even threatened with partition of the Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth. (The Commonwealth, 1569–1795, once included lands of modern Poland, Ukraine, Belarus and Lithuania.) At the same time, some front-rank propagandists did not hesitate to use insulting epithets addressed to Belarusians calling them “stupid” and “politically illiterate.”
The response to all the insignificant actions of the authorities was ongoing protests that continue going for 20 weeks now. The New Year is approaching, and Belarusians make their heart’s wishes to celebrate it in a new country.
