From an ordinary woman to an "accidental" Joan of Arc, Svetlana Tikhanovskaya is an unlikely heroine. Just a few months ago, this mother of two, wife of a blogger, was totally unknown. But in the space of just a few weeks, Svetlana Tikhanovskaya set the goal of overthrowing Alexander Lukashenko, in power for 26 years in Belarus, known as the last dictator in Europe.
After the disputed elections of August 9, which gave Alexander Lukashenko more than 80% of the vote, Svetlana Tikhanovskaïa had to flee to Lithuania, assuring that she had been threatened. She agrees to share with us her fears and her hopes for her country.
Have you felt safe since you fled to Lithuania? When do you expect to return to Belarus?
SVETLANA TIKHANOVSKAÏA. I feel much safer in Lithuania than in my country. My goal is to come home one day. It is my country and I love it very much. But I prefer to wait for the moment when I, my children and my relatives will have nothing more to fear. This is not the case at the moment, unfortunately.
Still receiving threats since you left?
I only received direct threats once: a phone call a few weeks ago, with someone on the phone telling me in a very calm voice that he was going to put me in jail and that my two children will be placed in an orphanage. I was about to quit because I wanted to protect my family. Since then, I have suffered indirect threats and significant pressure.
You often say that your goal is to be interim president in order to organize new free and transparent elections. If the Belarusian people support you, are you ready to run for the next election?
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It is not my goal to run for the next election. I just want to make sure that there are free elections so that the people can vote for the leader they want.
You often say that you are not a politician, that you are an average person, a stay-at-home mom… How do you explain that so many people support you?
I think that's exactly why. I am like them. I know their daily life because I live the same thing as them. Any other citizen could have been in my place.
Have you had contact with the Lukashenko government since your exile? Are you open to discussions with him?
No, I have not had any contact with him and obviously I am open to discussions. It is very important for the future of our people. This is why we created the Coordination Council with other political, public and citizen personalities, in order to ensure a peaceful transition of power. Unfortunately, its members are under a lot of pressure. Thursday, Maria Kolesnikova (one of her relatives who remained in Belarus and member of this Council, Editor's note) was summoned by investigators in the context of legal proceedings. My campaign manager, Olga Kovalkova, was sentenced to ten days in detention. They are trying to scare us, but we won't stop there.
You say that you took this leadership role out of love for your husband and for your country. Did this decision come naturally or did you hesitate a lot? Have you been influenced by other people?
At the beginning, I presented my candidacy to replace my husband, Sergei, arrested and sentenced just before the elections. But when I saw all these people behind me, supporting me, wanting change, I understood that I had to get ahead of my fears and my doubts, even if it is a heavy responsibility that rests on my shoulders. I had to learn everything on the job. It was very difficult for me because I am a novice. And then I am a very shy person: when I was giving my first speeches, I was so afraid of forgetting everything and being ashamed. But as they say, there is no age to learn!
In your opinion, on election day, the Belarusian people voted for you as a candidate or did they vote against the Lukashenko regime?
I think they voted against the Lukashenko regime. They see me more as a symbol of an angry people, a people who love their country and want change. A people who want to be finally free.
How do you explain that women have become the symbol of demonstrations?
I think women saw that they too could be a driving force, not just staying home to take care of the children and cook. Women eventually saw themselves as equals to men and now they lead all the processions. This is another sign that our society is changing and things cannot be the way they used to be.
Are you afraid that nothing will change in Belarus?
No, I am sure things will change. The people have woken up and they will not allow the injustices that have been committed in recent weeks go unpunished. Maybe it won't happen in the next few weeks or months, but sooner or later things will change. It is impossible for our people to turn back. The Belarusians no longer want Lukashenko, he has to go. I believe in these people, as they believed in me. I am convinced that they will not stop fighting for a better future.
You have had contact with several foreign leaders, but not Russia, so far. How do you explain this lack of communication?
I cannot afford to answer for another government. There are some countries that immediately showed their support and offered to help us, and I am extremely grateful. Maybe the next country will be Russia, and we will be very happy to have them on our side. I would like to stress, however, that we must resolve our internal problems and other countries should respect our sovereignty. What is happening now is not a subject that should refer to a debate on geopolitics.
What is your dream for Belarus?
I want the Belarusian people to be able to live freely. May our citizens no longer be afraid to express themselves and that they no longer be afraid to go out in the streets because of police and institutional violence.