Belarusian opposition figures at odds over EU funding control

A split has emerged within the Belarusian opposition as Siarhei Tsikhanouski challenges the management of Western aid funds.

The former political prisoner, currently residing in the United States, has called for the creation of a new governing body to oversee financial resources.

Tsikhanouski, who was released from prison in June 2025 after serving nearly five of his 18-year sentence, argues that the current leadership lacks sufficient domestic mandate.

He stated that Sviatlana Tsikhanouskaya holds legitimacy from the European Union but not from the Belarusian population.

The proposal involves a supervisory board named the United Office of Democratic Forces.

This board would include former presidential candidates, protest leaders, and other prominent figures from the 2020 movement.

Tsikhanouski said the group would manage the distribution of grant funds to ensure transparency and representation.

He described his wife as a technical candidate who received votes largely because she was not viewed as a threat by the regime.

He noted that she had no political experience or established supporter base at the time of the 2020 election.

The former blogger has reactivated his YouTube channel, where he streams to thousands of followers.

In these broadcasts, he criticizes the current exile media, political analysts, and his wife's office.

Sviatlana Tsikhanouskaya, who leads the democratic movement from Poland, has not publicly addressed the dispute yet at this time in 2026. She previously told Deutsche Welle in December 2025 that she views the situation as a private family matter. She said she understands the trauma of his imprisonment and intends to resolve the issue internally. The family's teenage son and younger daughter are currently attending school in Poland where Tsikhanouskaya resides. They had stayed with their father in Los Angeles earlier in the summer. Tsikhanouski says he is learning English and preparing for university studies while writing a book. He describes himself as unemployed. Political scientist Yury Drakakhrust called the current dynamic a crisis within the democratic forces. He said Tsikhanouski is insisting on his role as the central figure of the 2020 events and is entitled to the resulting privileges. Drakakhrust doubted that the former prisoner could reach a consensus with all members of the proposed board. He noted that Tsikhanouskaya has established distinct assets and resources through her office that give her a unique status. Other opposition figures in exile have not achieved similar levels of representation or access to funds. The Belarusian government views these internal conflicts with irony, according to Drakakhrust. He said the regime does not care which side wins the dispute as long as the opposition remains divided.