By
Andrei Makhovsky, MINSK Belarus
Alexander
Lukashenko, the leader of Belarus, said on Monday he would be ready to hold new
elections and hand over power after a constitutional referendum, an attempt to
pacify mass protests and strikes that pose the biggest challenge yet to his
rule.
He made the offer, which he
insisted would not be delivered on while he was under pressure from protesters,
after exiled opposition politician Sviatlana Tsikhanouskaya said she was
willing to lead the country.
In a sign
of his growing vulnerability, Lukashenko faced heckling and chants of
"step down" during a speech to workers at one of the large state-run
factories that are the pride of his Soviet-style economic model and core
support base.
He faces
the threat of European Union sanctions after a bloody crackdown on protests
following what demonstrators say was his rigged re-election victory last week.
He cites official results that gave him just over 80% of the vote.
Officials
in Washington and the EU want Russia not to meddle in what President Donald
Trump called a "terrible situation", after Moscow told Lukashenko it
was ready to provide military help against an external threat.
Russia is
watching closely as Belarus hosts pipelines that carry Russian energy exports
to the West and is viewed by Moscow as a buffer zone against NATO. Lukashenko
and Russian President Vladimir Putin spoke twice this weekend.
A burly
former Soviet collective farm manager, Lukashenko used blunt language while
speaking to workers on Monday.
"We've
held elections," he said. "Until you've killed me there won't be any
new elections."
But he
offered to change the constitution, an apparent concession that seems unlikely
to satisfy protesters who say it's something he has spoken about before.
"We'll
put the changes to a referendum, and I'll hand over my constitutional powers.
But not under pressure or because of the street," Lukashenko said, in
remarks quoted by the official Belta news agency.
"Yes,
I'm not a saint. You know my harsh side. I'm not eternal. But if you drag down
the first president you'll drag down neighbouring countries and all the
rest."
He also
said people could hold parliamentary and presidential elections after the
referendum if that was what they wanted.
Speaking in
a video address from Lithuania, opposition politician Tsikhanouskaya urged
security and law enforcement officers to switch sides.
"I am
ready to take responsibility and act as a national leader during this
period," Tsikhanouskaya said.
The first
leader of independent Belarus Stanislav Shushkevich told Reuters the military
and Lukashenko's inner circle could stay loyal and were "handsomely
paid".
Tsikhanouskaya's
video was released as hundreds of employees from the state broadcaster BT went
on strike, as several presenters and staff publicly resigned in solidarity with
the protesters.
The strike
came as protests spread to those normally seen as loyal to the 65-year-old
president. Some police, a sitting ambassador, prominent athletes and a former
prime minister have also voiced solidarity with the protesters.
The state
broadcaster showed re-runs on Monday morning before issuing a fresh news
bulletin. Videos on social media suggested BT had at one point aired footage of
an empty studio with white sofas, and music playing.
Reuters
could not independently confirm that and the broadcaster could not immediately
be reached for comment.
Factory
workers waving flags and posters joined protesters to rally outside the
building, which was being guarded by security forces.
"We
want to work honestly, we do not want to be forced to lie," TV host Oleg
Titkov told Reuters.
Thousands
of protesters had earlier marched to a factory where Lukashenko flew by
helicopter to speak to striking workers. He got a rough reception.
"Thanks,
I've said everything. You can (continue to) shout 'step down,'" he said,
struggling to be heard.
He then walked away as the crowd chanted "Step down".
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