The Belarusian ambassador to Slovakia, Igor Leshchenya (LEFT) with the Chairman of the National council (Parliament) of the Slovak Republic, Andrej Danko. 07 Aug, 2019 /  Credit: © mfa.gov.by/en/press/news 

By Gary  Raynaldo       DIPLOMATIC TI MES

The Belarusian ambassador to Slovakia, who expressed solidarity with protesters rallying against his country’s president, said Tuesday he has handed in his resignation amid the political turmoil in the former Soviet Republic. A few days before that, ambassador Igor Leshchenya recorded a video message in which he supported the Belarusians who came out to peaceful protests, independent news agency Tut.by reported.  Leshchenya  become the first senior figure to declare solidarity with protesters in Belarus. 

“I stand in solidarity with those who came out on the streets of Belarusian cities with peaceful marches so that their voice could be heard. The Belarusians have achieved this right through suffering. Like all Belarusians, I am shocked by stories of torture and beatings of citizens of my country,” 

-Leshchenya said in his video posted on YouTube.

Meanwhile, the European Union is preparing to impose new sanctions against Belarusian officials following the brutal post-election crackdown on demonstrators. Nearly 7,000 people were arrested since Sunday’s disputed presidential election.  Protesters reported being beaten and tortured.

Belarus Opposition Leader Sviatlana Tsikhanouskaya has called for more protests and an election recount, turning up  the heat on authoritarian President Alexander Lukashenko as he faces the biggest challenge in his 26 years in power.  Tikhanovskaya  fled the country in the aftermath of Sunday’s disputed presidential elections.  Tikhanovskaya fled Belarus and is in Lithuania after she asserted that the re-election of incumbent President  Lukashenko  was fraudulent.    Longtime President Lukashenko won 80.23% of the vote, with rival challenger  Tikhanovskaya receiving 9.9%.  Critics  immediately denounced Lukashenko’s landslide victory as being rigged and mass protests erupted with thousands taking to the streets of capital city Minsk and across the country to vent frustration.