Pavel Latushko
{{short description|Belarusian diplomat and pro-democracy activist}}
{{Family name hatnote|Pavlovich|Latushko|lang=Eastern Slavic}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=September 2022}}
{{Infobox officeholder
|name = Pavel Latushko
|native_name = {{nobold|{{lang|be|Павел Латушка}}
{{lang|ru|Павел Латушко}}}}
|image = Paviel Latushka.jpg
|caption=Latushko in 2010
|office = Head of National Anti-Crisis Management of Belarus
|president = Sviatlana Tsikhanouskaya
|term_start = 26 October 2020
|term_end =
|predecessor = Position established
|successor =
|office1 = Minister of Culture
|president1 = Alexander Lukashenko
|primeminister1 = Sergei Sidorsky
Mikhail Myasnikovich
|term_start1 = 4 June 2009
|term_end1 = 16 November 2012
|predecessor1 = Vladimir Fyodorovich Matveichuk
|successor1 = Boris Svetlov
|birth_date = {{birth date and age|1973|2|10|df=yes}}
|birth_place = Minsk, Belarusian SSR, Soviet Union
|death_date =
|death_place =
|nationality = Belarusian
|citizenship = Belarusian
|alma_mater = Belarusian State University
Minsk State Linguistic University
}}
Pavel Pavlovich Latushko{{efn|{{Langx|be|Павел Паўлавіч Латушка|translit=Paviel Pawłavič Latuška}}, {{Langx|ru|Павел Павлович Латушко|translit=Pavel Pavlovič Latuško}}}} (born 10 February 1973) is a Belarusian politician and diplomat. He was the Minister of Culture of the Republic of Belarus from 2009 to 2012.
In 2020, Latushko supported the Belarusian protests against Lukashenko. He became the head of the National Anti-Crisis Management, a "shadow-government-like" organisation. On August 9, 2022 Latushko became the Deputy Head and Representative for the Transfer of Power in the United Transitional Cabinet of Sviatlana Tsikhanouskaya.{{cite web |date=9 August 2022 |url=https://tsikhanouskaya.org/en/events/news/e1e57cee6d4a3a9.html | title=Sviatlana Tsikhanouskaya announced the United Transitional Cabinet and named its first members |website=Sviatlana Tsikhanouskaya |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20221019032030/https://tsikhanouskaya.org/en/events/news/e1e57cee6d4a3a9.html |archive-date=2022-10-19 |url-status=live |quote=In my absence, Pavel Latushka and Valery Kavaleuski will be my deputies.}}
In March 2023, a Belarusian court sentenced him in absentia to 18 years' imprisonment.
Education
Latushko graduated from the law faculty of the Belarusian State University in 1995, and Minsk State Linguistic University in 1996.
Diplomatic career under Lukashenko
From 1995 to 1996, he was the attaché of the contractual and legal department of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Belarus. He then served from 1996 to 2000 as the Vice Consul, Consul of the Consulate General of the Republic of Belarus in Bialystok (Poland).{{Cite web|title=Национальный правовой Интернет-портал Республики Беларусь|url=https://www.pravo.by/document/?guid=3871&p0=P30200590|access-date=2020-08-18|website=www.pravo.by|archive-date=3 December 2020|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201203202812/https://www.pravo.by/document/?guid=3871&p0=P30200590|url-status=dead}}{{Cite web|title=Национальный правовой Интернет-портал Республики Беларусь|url=https://www.pravo.by/document/?guid=3871&p0=P30800594|access-date=2020-08-18|website=www.pravo.by|archive-date=28 December 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20211228045235/https://www.pravo.by/document/?guid=3871&p0=P30800594|url-status=dead}} Following that, he was the head of the information department and press secretary of the Belarusian Foreign Ministry from 2000 to 2002.{{citation needed|date=September 2020}}
From 6 December 2002 to 31 October 2008, he was Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of the Republic of Belarus to the Republic of Poland. He then served as the Minister of Culture of the Republic of Belarus from 4 June 2009 to 16 November 2012.{{Cite web|title=Национальный правовой Интернет-портал Республики Беларусь|url=https://www.pravo.by/document/?guid=3871&p0=P30900286|access-date=2020-08-18|website=www.pravo.by|archive-date=8 February 2022|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220208142747/https://pravo.by/document/?guid=3871|url-status=dead}}{{Cite web|title=Национальный правовой Интернет-портал Республики Беларусь|url=https://www.pravo.by/document/?guid=3871&p0=P31200519&p1=1|access-date=2020-08-18|website=www.pravo.by|archive-date=8 February 2022|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220208142747/https://pravo.by/document/?guid=3871|url-status=dead}} Since 16 November 2012, he served as Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of the Republic of Belarus to the French Republic, Permanent Representative of the Republic of Belarus to UNESCO.{{Cite web|title=БелаПАН. Павел Латушко назначен послом Беларуси во Франции|url=http://belapan.com/archive/2012/11/16/588040/|access-date=2020-08-18|website=belapan.com|language=ru|archive-date=5 March 2016|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160305142919/http://belapan.com/archive/2012/11/16/588040/|url-status=live}} On 20 May 2013 he was appointed concurrently Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of the Republic of Belarus to the Kingdom of Spain and to the Portuguese Republic,{{Cite web|title=Национальный правовой Интернет-портал Республики Беларусь|url=https://www.pravo.by/document/?guid=3871&p0=P31300231&p1=1|access-date=2020-08-18|website=www.pravo.by|archive-date=1 February 2022|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220201225450/https://pravo.by/document/?guid=3871&p0=P31300231&p1=1|url-status=dead}} and on 15 December 2016 he was also appointed concurrently Ambassador to Monaco.{{Cite web|url=https://pravo.by/document/?guid=12551&p0=P31600464|title=Указ Президента Республики Беларусь от 15 декабря 2016 г. № 464|language=ru}} On 15 January 2019, he was relieved of his post as ambassador.{{Cite web|title=О П.П.Латушко|url=https://pravo.by/document/?guid=12551&p0=P31900021&p1=1&p5=0|access-date=2020-08-18|website=pravo.by|archive-date=21 October 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20211021010704/https://pravo.by/document/?guid=12551&p0=P31900021&p1=1&p5=0|url-status=live}}
In March 2019, he was appointed director of the Yanka Kupala National Academic Theater.{{Cite web|date=2019-03-06|title=Павел Латушко получил новое назначение|url=https://news.tut.by/culture/628843.html|access-date=2020-08-18|website=TUT.BY|language=ru|archive-date=6 March 2019|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190306174836/https://news.tut.by/culture/628843.html|url-status=dead}}
Criticisms
During the 2006 Belarusian presidential election, Pavel Latushko attracted media attention in Poland.{{Cite web |date=2006-03-22 |title=Ambasador Białorusi chciał "dać w mordę" dziennikarzowi TVN24 |url=https://www.bankier.pl/wiadomosc/Ambasador-Bialorusi-chcial-dac-w-morde-dziennikarzowi-TVN24-1412996.html |access-date=2024-02-16 |website=Bankier.pl |language=pl |archive-date=13 November 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20231113110716/https://www.bankier.pl/wiadomosc/Ambasador-Bialorusi-chcial-dac-w-morde-dziennikarzowi-TVN24-1412996.html |url-status=live }}{{Cite web |title=Посол Латушко: "Скажу следующее ... дал бы в морду" {{!}} {{!}} АФН {{!}} Белорусские новости {{!}} Республика Беларусь {{!}} Минск |url=https://afn.by/news/i/72372 |access-date=2024-02-16 |website=afn.by}} In his role as Belarusian ambassador to Poland, Latushko took part in the program "24 hours" of the TVN24 news channel via teleconference. The host questioned him about the conduct of the election, access of opposition candidates to the media and arrests of activists. At the end of the teleconference, the operator forgot to turn off the camera. Latushko's statements later became public, "I will say this - I will never give an interview to your station again - it's a nightmare ... Your journalists are ... well ... what they did in the summer, and now they're starting again with the president ... It's just ... If I [weren't] an ambassador, I apologize and please pass it to him (the presenter), I would give it to him in the face." Latushko was summoned "on the carpet" to the Polish Foreign Ministry and recalled to Belarus for consultations. Some Polish politicians called for Latushko to be declared persona non grata.{{Cite web |date=2006-03-31 |title=Białoruski ambasador odwołany na konsultacje |url=https://www.wprost.pl/88669/bialoruski-ambasador-odwolany-na-konsultacje.html |access-date=2024-02-16 |website=Wprost |language=pl |archive-date=18 November 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20231118195840/https://www.wprost.pl/88669/bialoruski-ambasador-odwolany-na-konsultacje.html |url-status=live }}{{cite web |url=https://gazetaby.com/post/moralnyj-vybor-pavla-latushko/51323/ |title=Моральный выбор Павла Латушко |language=Russian |trans-title=The moral choice of Pavel Latushko |date=December 10, 2012}}{{Cite news |last=Свабода |first=Радыё |date=2007-12-07 |title=Амбасадара Латушку выклікалі ў польскае МЗС |url=https://www.svaboda.org/a/768528.html |access-date=2024-02-16 |work=Радыё Свабода |language=be |archive-date=16 November 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20231116122142/https://www.svaboda.org/a/768528.html |url-status=live }}
2020 election protests
During the 2020 Belarusian protests, he supported the strike of the theater artists, and spoke in favor of the resignation of Yury Karaev and Lidia Yermoshina. Because of his support, Latushko was fired on 17 August. Theatre artists applied en masse for the resignation in support of Pavel Latushko.
On 19 August, Latushko became a member of the presidium of Sviatlana Tsikhanouskaya's Coordination Council.{{Cite web|url=https://rada.vision/chleny-soveta|title=Члены Координационного Совета|access-date=19 August 2020|archive-date=20 August 2020|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200820150621/https://rada.vision/chleny-soveta|url-status=dead}}
On 20 August, Alexander Konyuk, the Prosecutor-General of Belarus, initiated criminal proceedings against the members of the Coordination Council under Article 361 of the Belarusian Criminal Code, on the grounds of attempting to seize state power and harming national security.{{cite web|url=https://t.me/mkbelarus/9106|title=МАЯ КРАІНА БЕЛАРУСЬ|website=Telegram|access-date=8 September 2020|archive-date=13 September 2020|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200913040150/https://t.me/mkbelarus/9106|url-status=live}}{{cite web|url=https://www.urdupoint.com/en/world/belarus-opens-criminal-probe-against-oppositi-1006745.html|title=Belarus Opens Criminal Probe Against Oppositions Coordination Council- Prosecutor General|website=UrduPoint|access-date=8 September 2020|archive-date=22 August 2020|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200822120151/https://www.urdupoint.com/en/world/belarus-opens-criminal-probe-against-oppositi-1006745.html|url-status=live}}
In the closing days of August, Latushko moved to Poland after being questioned by authorities. "His departure came a day after Lukashenko warned that Latushko had crossed a red line and would face prosecution."{{cite news |title=Belarus opposition activist reportedly resisting attempts to expel her to Ukraine |url=https://www.cbc.ca/news/world/belarus-kolesnikova-ukraine-1.5715383 |agency=The Associated Press |publisher=CBC |date=8 September 2020 |access-date=8 September 2020 |archive-date=23 April 2021 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210423014348/https://www.cbc.ca/news/world/belarus-kolesnikova-ukraine-1.5715383 |url-status=live }}
In late October 2020, Latushko became the head of National Anti-Crisis Management, a shadow government created by the Belarusian Coordination Council for the peaceful transition of power following the 2020 Belarusian presidential election.
On 9 August 2022, Sviatlana Tsikhanouskaya declared at a conference held in Vilnius, Lithuania, the declaration of the United Transitional Cabinet. Latushko is the responsible person for the transition of power in it.{{cite news|url=https://www.rferl.org/a/belarus-tsikhanouskaya-interim-cabinet-opposition-lukashenka/31980687.html|publisher=Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty|title=On Second Anniversary Of Disputed Belarusian Presidential Poll, Tsikhanouskaya Names 'Interim Cabinet'|newspaper=Radiofreeeurope/Radioliberty|access-date=2022-08-22|archive-date=3 October 2022|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20221003130009/https://www.rferl.org/a/belarus-tsikhanouskaya-interim-cabinet-opposition-lukashenka/31980687.html|url-status=live}}
In March 2023, a Belarusian court sentenced him in absentia to 18 years' imprisonment.{{Cite web |title=Тихановскую приговорили к 15 годам колонии |url=https://www.rbc.ru/politics/06/03/2023/6405d9079a7947693bd2c195 |access-date=2023-03-06 |website=РБК |date=6 March 2023 |language=ru |archive-date=6 March 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230306161337/https://cstatic.weborama.fr/iframe/sync.html?key=ids_sync&wamid=2641&src=wamf.wildcard.js&ref=www.rbc.ru&d.r=1678119217883& |url-status=live }}
Points of view
In October 2002 Pavel Latushko accused Russian physicist and opposition politician Boris Nemtsov of interfering in Belarusian internal affairs and supported his expulsion from Belarus.{{Cite web |date=2002-10-23 |title=Немцов изгнан за вмешательство в дела Белоруссии |url=https://www.kommersant.ru/doc/951933 |access-date=2024-02-16 |website=www.kommersant.ru |language=ru |archive-date=10 June 2024 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240610153946/https://www.kommersant.ru/doc/951933 |url-status=live }} "Nemtsov's efforts to complicate the development of Belarusian–Russian relations, to slow down integration processes, his categorical disagreement with the policy of building the Union State harm not only Belarusian–Russian bilateral relations, but also the prospects of building the union".{{Cite web |title=О комментарии МИД Беларуси в связи с выдворением Бориса Немцова за пределы Республики Беларусь - Министерство иностранных дел Республики Беларусь |url=https://mfa.gov.by/press/news_mfa/edf75710366aef8e.html |access-date=2024-02-16 |website=mfa.gov.by}}
Ranks and classes
- Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of the 2nd class (6 December 2002).
- First class civil servant (4 June 2009).
- Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary (16 November 2012).
Personal life
In addition to Russian and Belarusian, he speaks English and Polish.{{cite web |url=http://www.unesco.org/eri/permdel/cv/BLR_PavelLatushka.pdf |title=Pavel LATUSHKA: Ambassadeur Extraordinaire et Plénipotentiaire de la République du Bélarus en République Française, délégué permanent auprès de l'UNESCO |language=fr |trans-title=Pavel LATUSHKA: Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary from the Republic of Belarus to the French Republic, permanent delegate to UNESCO |quote=Langues: polonais, anglais. |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20151224225120/http://www.unesco.org/eri/permdel/cv/BLR_PavelLatushka.pdf |archive-date=2015-12-24}} His ex-wife Natalia is the wife of the Belarusian diplomat and statesman Maxim Ryzhenkov.{{Cite web |url=https://nn.by/?c=ar&i=182530&lang=ru |title=Из спорта в Администрацию президента: пять фактов о Максиме Рыжанкове |date=21 December 2016 |access-date=10 May 2021 |archive-date=12 April 2021 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210412231805/https://nn.by/?c=ar&i=182530&lang=ru |url-status=live }}
Notes
{{notelist}}
References
{{reflist|refs=
{{cite web | title= National Anti-Crisis Management | website= National Anti-crisis Management |year = 2020 | url = https://belarus-nau.org/en | accessdate = 2020-11-16 |archive-url= https://archive.today/20201116025936/https://belarus-nau.org/en |archive-date= 2020-11-16 |url-status=live }}
{{cite news | title= Pavel Latushko Announces Establishment Of People's Anti-Crisis Administration | date= 2020-10-29 |newspaper= Belarus Feed | url= https://belarusfeed.com/latushko-peoples-anti-crisis-administration/ |accessdate=2020-11-16 |archive-url= https://archive.today/20201116122555/https://belarusfeed.com/latushko-peoples-anti-crisis-administration/ |archive-date= 2020-11-16 |url-status=live }}
}}
{{Authority control}}
{{Belarusian democracy movement}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Latushko, Pavel}}
Category:Belarusian State University alumni
Category:Ambassadors of Belarus to France
Category:Ambassadors of Belarus to Monaco
Category:Ambassadors of Belarus to Spain
Category:Ambassadors of Belarus to Portugal
Category:Ambassadors of Belarus to Poland