Belarus: Ex-Lukashenka's ambassador and culture minister joins protesters

Pavel Latushka, former ambassador in Paris, ex-culture minister and effective from today former director of Janka Kupala National Drama Theater on Tuesday joined the new structure established by the initiative of presidential candidate Sviatlana Tsikhanouskaya - the Coordination Council. The new body includes representatives from various social strata.

The members of the Coordination Council held their first news briefing on August 18, with Mr. Latushka present and giving a speech.

He said: "The law does not often work in this country. We live by one's own rules and views. The Coordination Council must bring the nation back to the rule of law."

Mr. Latushka said that Belarusians are tired of "the situation when security forces or siloviki, KGB in the first place, basically rule our country," adding that "I am tired of being afraid!" 

He also said that it was the security services that oversaw the electoral process in Belarus not the Central Election Commission or territorial election commissions. "Time has come for patriots inside the security services to come out and speak out," Mr. Latushka said, stressing that the Coordination Council acts within the current laws and has no goal of seizing the power, something that Aliaksandr Lukashenka was quick to announce earlier on Tuesday.

The Coordination Council will hold its first meeting on August 19.

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