The self-proclaimed leader of Belarus, Alexander Lukashenko, did not participate in the national celebration, where he usually gives a speech every year, and this gave rise to various rumors about his health, writes the BBC.
The 68-year-old authoritarian politician usually delivers a speech on the National Flag Day, but this time his message was read by the Prime Minister of Belarus on Sunday, the 14th of May. A week ago, on the 9th of May, Lukashenko left Moscow right after the military parade, without having a ceremonial lunch with Russian President Vladimir Putin.
Lukashenko was last seen in public on the 9th of May, laying flowers in Minsk.
The opposition forces reported on their Telegram channel that on the evening of the 13th of May, Lukashenko visited a medical center on the outskirts of Minsk. Lukashenko’s office has not commented, meanwhile opposition leader Sviatlana Tsihanouska has written that this could be a time of change for Belarus.
There are many rumors about the dictator Lukashenka’s health. For us, it means only one thing: we should be well prepared for every scenario. To turn Belarus on the path to democracy & to prevent Russia from interfering. We need the international community to be proactive & fast. pic.twitter.com/qfnsnPYBMZ
— Sviatlana Tsikhanouskaya (@Tsihanouskaya) May 15, 2023
Suppressing any attempt to change the order in the country, Lukashenko has been in power in Belarus since 1994. In 2020, he was once again declared the winner of the presidential election, which was disputed by the opposition, and widespread protests arose in the country. However, Lukashenko has managed to remain in the presidency, largely thanks to Russia’s support.
More than a year ago, Lukashenko supported Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, allowing it to use Belarusian territory to launch an attack.
Read also: Belarus sentences Tsikhanouskaya to 15 years in prison