Syamyon Sharetski

Syamyon Georgiyevich Sharetski (Belarusian: Сямён Георгіевіч Шарэцкi, romanized: Siamion Hieorhijevič Šarecki, Russian: Семён Георгиевич Шарецкий, romanized: Semyon Georgiyevich Sharetsky; born 23 September 1936) is a Belarusian former agricultural scientist and politician.

After leaving his position as chairman of the Red Banner collective farm in 1993, he transitioned to a new role as an advisor to the Prime Minister of Belarus.

During the leadup to the 1996 Belarusian referendum Sharetski emerged as among the leaders of the opposition, which viewed President Alexander Lukashenko, the main backer of the referendum, as centralising authority in his own hands.

Sharetski ultimately accepted the proposed referendum following a diplomatic intervention by Russian Prime Minister Viktor Chernomyrdin.

From 1999-2001 he lived in Vilnius, Lithuania, where he was treated as a representative of the legitimate power of Belarus.