Sviatlana Tsikhanouskaya spoke on The Accidental President documentary in her interview for Radio Svaboda.

Sviatlana Tsikhanouskaya spoke on The Accidental President documentary in her interview for Radio Svaboda.

RS: If you’re asked whether you’re an accidental president, what would you answer?

ST: I agree with that. Fate didn’t prepare me for this. It was a spontaneous choice. Of course, it’s accidental. The path I’ve taken and am walking is a difficult one. You have to learn very quickly in very hard circumstances. But maybe nothing accidental is accidental.

RS: While the documentary was being filmed, you had been followed in different situations. In the film, in one of the dialogues, you say to Franak Viacorka: “I want to step down,” and he says it’s impossible. Why is it impossible to step down now, or would you like to?

ST: The thought that I can’t do it anymore, that it’s very difficult and painful… Every arrest, every death, every search at people’s places passes through me. It’s morally difficult, hands drop. There are some internal disagreements within the democratic forces, that’s also there. And such a thought comes to mind, maybe every morning or every evening when you’re exhausted. But I understand that I can’t because I took on this responsibility, people took on this responsibility. I understand that I’m not alone and can’t break the ‘fist’ we have. I understand that I’m not eternal. Anything can happen. And that’s why it’s very important that we build structures. If one person drops out, the structure doesn’t collapse. I understand that I don’t have the right to step down, I can’t. As long as I endure, I’ll stay close to the people.

Full interview for Radio Svaboda in Belarusian:

https://youtu.be/fQ-iu3JutkI