The opposition leader in Belarus, who is currently in exile in Lithuania, has told Euronews she will not run in new elections if they are held.
Sviatlana Tsikhanouskaya was forced to flee Belarus following the disputed re-election of Alexander Lukashenko. Her husband, a former presidential candidate, had previously been barred from running and then jailed.
“I’m not going to run in new elections, I’m just like a transition president,” she told Euronews. “I and my team are going to organise fair and transparent elections where I am not going to be involved.”
There have been daily protests in the country since the re-election of Lukashenko on August 9, in an election that has been dismissed by many as rigged.
Protesters and the opposition want free and fair elections to be held, and for Lukashenko to stand down after 26 years as the country’s president.
In another interview with Euronews earlier this week, Tsikhanouskaya said: “Who is the current president of Belarus? I suppose I am,” before quickly clarifying that her role is to facilitate free and fair elections.