Belarusian Opposition Leader Meets German Chancellor
April 07, 2006
Belarusian opposition leader Alyaksandr Milinkevich (right) with German Chancellor Angela Merkel on April 7 (Bymedia.net)
Milinkevich expressed gratitude for Germany's public show of support for the opposition in its efforts to unseat President Alyaksandr Lukashenka in last month's election.
Western governments have widely condemned the March 19 vote as fraudulent. Milinkevich was the main opposition candidate to run against Lukashenka.
Milinkevich earlier today told a group of German lawmakers that the election which gave Lukashenka an unprecedented third term in office amounted to a "coup."
Milinkevich today wraps up a five-day tour of Europe aimed to bolster support for the opposition.
(AP, Charter 97)