Belarusian opposition organisations are setting up a coordination centre in Vilnius in response to a constitutional referendum due to take place in Belarus next month.
The organisations made the announcement in a joint press conference on Friday.
Alexander Lukashenko is calling the referendum to change the constitution so that he could maintain his grip on power, according to Svetlana Tikhanovskaya, the former opposition frontrunner.
“In our opinion, this is an attempt to hold on to power, but this does nothing to solve the political, economic, and humanitarian crisis and people's problems [in Belarus],” Tikhanovskaya said.
“This is not a choice between yes and no. This is simply a proposal to choose between Lukashenko and Lukashenko,” she added. “This is not what Belarusians have fought for and continue to fight for. Belarusians want to live in a normal, safe, and secure country and they want new and fair presidential elections.”
On Thursday, the Belarusian opposition Coordination Council and the National Anti-Crisis Management sent a letter to international organisations and other partners, urging them “not to recognise the so-called referendum”.
“We invite all citizens to go to the polling stations and invalidate their ballot papers by marking all the proposed options,” Tikhanovskaya said.
The referendum is planned to be held on February 27.
The proposed amendments would reinstate the limit of two five-year presidential terms, previously abolished by Lukashenko, but they would only apply to the winner of the next election.
If the 67-year-old authoritarian leader, who has been in power since 1994, decided to run for re-election in 2025, he could remain in power for another ten years.
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