Anžalika Mielnikava elected speaker of opposition Coordination Council

July 11, Pozirk. Anžalika Mielnikava, of the coalition Team Łatuška and the Movement for Freedom, has been elected speaker of the opposition Coordination Council.

The 80-member council is an elected body of Belarus’ pro-democracy forces and civil society organizations working towards democracy and respect for human rights.

Stanisłava Hlińnik of the coalition European Choice has been elected vice-speaker, said Pavieł Łatuška, leader of the Team Latuška coaltion, on his Telegram channel.

The announcement was later confirmed by the council’s press office.

Mielnikava and Hlińnik ran unopposed.

Melnikava, a project coordinator since June 2022, said she will “work in the interests of Belarusians and solve specific problems of people” if elected.

Expanding the powers of the Coordination Council and its cooperation with the opposition cabinet and raising the council’s profile will also be a priority, she added.

Hlińnik, a granddaughter of the late Belarusian leader Stanisłaŭ Šuškievič, is an aide to opposition leader Śviatłana Cichanoŭskaja.

The Prakopjeŭ-Jahoraŭ Bloc, the second largest faction, refused to nominate its candidates, accusing Łatuška of seeking to subjugate the council to Cichanoŭskaja.

Some 6,700 registered voters elected the third Coordination Council on May 25–27. Team Łatuška and the Movement for Freedom won most of the seats.

European Choice shared the third place with Independent Belarusians.

Also read: Just over 500 voted in Coordination Council election in Belarus