Opposition says 'political suicide' if Belarus joins Ukraine war
September 28, 2022, 6:00 pm

Opposition says 'political suicide' if Belarus joins Ukraine war

On August 3- 2021, the leader of Belarus' opposition Svetlana Tikhanovskaya met with UK PM Boris Johnson at downing Street (Photo: UK PM official Facebook page)

Exiled Belarusian opposition leader Svetlana Tikhanovskaya on Wednesday said President Alexander Lukashenko would commit "political suicide" if he involved Belarus's military in the war in neighbouring Ukraine.

Tikhanovskaya claimed victory in Belarus's contested 2020 presidential election but now lives in exile in Lithuania after Lukashenko launched a brutal crackdown on the opposition.

"If he will make our army participate (in Ukraine) it will be political suicide for him," she told AFP before a speech to the annual conference of Britain's main opposition Labour party, in Liverpool, northwest England.

"Even those people who are for this regime (and) allies of Lukashenko, they are against the war in Ukraine."

The 40-year-old dissident hit out at "sham" annexation votes held this week by pro-Kremlin authorities in four Moscow-held regions of Ukraine, where officials have claimed overwhelming victories.

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ikhanovskaya said the votes -- also condemned as a "sham" by Kyiv and its Western allies -- were a bogus attempt by the Kremlin "to sell something to (the) Russian people as a victory" that would fail to win global recognition.

"Everybody saw that (the) Kremlin's army is not so powerful, that the king is naked. So no one normal country will recognise this referendum," she added.

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But heightened fears that Russian President Vladimir Putin could now deploy a tactical nuclear weapon to defend the annexed territories, following recent threats, are particularly paramount in Belarus.

Tikhanovskaya noted Lukashenko successfully used his own "so-called referendum" earlier this year to give him the legal means to house Russian nuclear weapons in the country.

'Catastrophe'

"What we are concerned about is that nuclear weapon(s) can be launched from the territory of Belarus," the opposition leader said.

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"Maybe our country can be used for such like, shame(ful) aims, and of course, it will be (a) catastrophe."

Tikhanovskaya, seen by the West as the true winner of August 2020 presidential elections that kept Lukashenko in power, argued however that this week's referendums had put the ageing autocrat in a "difficult situation".

Lukashenko is in a "very fragile position", the opposition leader said, adding Belarusian dissidents were "creating more multiple points of pressure on him".

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With Russian military activity within Belarus expected to grow following Putin's recent partial mobilisation, that resistance includes using back channels to talk to Belarusian military and "elite" figures.

"There will be (a) moment when military people, KGB, will be on the side of the Belarusian people," she said, referring to the country's Soviet era internal security services.

"We are communicating with the military people. We're communicating with the elite.

"It's our task to split them with different means and we hope that in a particular moment everything will happen.

"They see that (the) policy of Lukashenko brings our country the loss of independence, the loss of sovereignty and the very existence of our country is at stake."

Source: france24

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BENEFIT, the Kingdom’s innovator and leading company in Fintech and electronic financial transactions service, held its Annual General Meeting (AGM) at the company’s headquarters in the Seef District.
During the meeting, shareholders approved all items listed on the agenda, including the ratification of the minutes of the previous AGM held on 26 March 2024. The session reviewed and approved the Board’s Annual Report on the company’s activities and financial performance for the fiscal year ended 31 December 2024, and the shareholders expressed their satisfaction with the company’s operational and financial results during the reporting period.
The meeting also reviewed the Independent External Auditor’s Report on the company’s consolidated financial statements for the year ended 31 December 2024. Subsequently, the shareholders approved the audited financial statements for the fiscal year. Based on the Board’s recommendation, the shareholders approved the distribution of a cash dividend equivalent to 10% of the paid-up share capital.
Furthermore, the shareholders endorsed the allocation of a total amount of BD 172,500 as remuneration to the members of the Board for the year ended 31 December 2024, subject to prior clearance by related authorities.
The extension of the current composition of the Board was approved, which includes ten members and one CBB observer, for a further six-month term, expiring in September 2025, pending no objection from the CBB.
The meeting reviewed and approved the Corporate Governance Report for 2024, which affirmed the company’s full compliance with the corporate governance directives issued by the CBB and other applicable regulatory frameworks. The AGM absolved the Board Members of liability for any of their actions during the year ending on 31st December 2024, in accordance with the Commercial Companies Law.
In alignment with regulatory requirements, the session approved the reappointment of Ernst & Young (EY) as the company’s External Auditors for the fiscal year 2025, covering both the parent company and its subsidiaries—Sinnad and Bahrain FinTech Bay. The Board was authorised to determine the external auditors’ professional fees, subject to approval from the CBB, and the meeting concluded with a discussion of any additional issues as per Article (207) of the Commercial Companies Law.
Speaking on the company’s performance, Mr. Mohamed Al Bastaki, Chairman BENEFIT , stated: “In terms of the financial results for 2024, I am pleased to say that the year gone by has also been proved to be a success in delivering tangible results. Growth rate for 2024 was 19 per cent. Revenue for the year was BD 17 M (US$ 45.3 Million) and net profit was 2 Million ($ 5.3 Million).

Mr. Al Bastaki also announced that the Board had formally adopted a new three-year strategic roadmap to commence in 2025. The strategy encompasses a phased international expansion, optimisation of internal operations, enhanced revenue diversification, long-term sustainability initiatives, and the advancement of innovation and digital transformation initiatives across all service lines.
“I extend my sincere appreciation to the CBB for its continued support of BENEFIT and its pivotal role in fostering a stable and progressive regulatory environment for the Kingdom’s banking and financial sector—an environment that has significantly reinforced Bahrain’s standing as a leading financial hub in the region,” said Mr. Al Bastaki. “I would also like to thank our partner banks and valued customers for their trust, and our shareholders for their ongoing encouragement. The achievements of 2024 set a strong precedent, and I am confident they will serve as a foundation for yet another successful and impactful year ahead.”
Chief Executive of BENEFIT; Mr. Abdulwahed AlJanahi commented, “The year 2024 represented another pivotal chapter in BENEFIT ’s evolution. We achieved substantial progress in advancing our digital strategy across multiple sectors, while reinforcing our long-term commitment to the development of Bahrain’s financial services and payments landscape. Throughout the year, we remained firmly aligned with our objective of delivering measurable value to our shareholders, strategic partners, and customers. At the same time, we continued to play an active role in enabling Bahrain’s digital economy by introducing innovative solutions and service enhancements that directly address market needs and future opportunities.”
Mr. AlJanahi affirmed that BENEFIT has successfully developed a robust and well-integrated payment network that connects individuals and businesses across Bahrain, accelerating the adoption of emerging technologies in the banking and financial services sector and reinforcing Bahrain’s position as a growing fintech hub, and added, “Our achievements of the past year reflect a long-term vision to establish a resilient electronic payment infrastructure that supports the Kingdom’s digital economy. Key developments in 2024 included the implementation of central authentication for open banking via BENEFIT Pay”
Mr. AlJanahi concluded by thanking the Board for its strategic direction, the company’s staff for their continued dedication, and the Central Bank of Bahrain, member banks, and shareholders for their valuable partnership and confidence in the company’s long-term vision.