On June 6-7, an international conference is taking place in Luxembourg on the problems faced by exiled Belarusians. The event, organized by the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe in cooperation with the Luxembourg Parliament, is attended by the Head of the United Transitional Cabinet, Sviatlana Tsikhanouskaya, Luxembourg’s Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs, Xavier Bettel, the President of the PACE, Theodoros Rousopoulos, as well as representatives of Belarus’ democratic forces, media, business associations, and cultural initiatives.
The conference features six sessions focusing on key issues faced by exiled Belarusians. The discussions cover topics such as legal entry and residency, threats to freedom of movement, denial of consular services, access to education, professional activities in exile, and the preservation and promotion of Belarusian cultural identity. The panels are moderated by the PACE members and other distinguished people.
The conference emphasizes the role of national parliaments in supporting the recommendations proposed in the PACE Resolution 2499 (2023) and fostering cooperation with Belarus’ democratic forces, human rights defenders, independent journalists, and the academic community.
The speakers include writer Sasha Filipenko and the Co-founder and Artistic Director of Belarus Free Theatre, Natalia Kaliada.
In her speech, Sviatlana Tsikhanouskaya called for supporting Belarusians both in exile and within the country, particularly in terms of easing visa procedures.
She emphasized, “Let’s promote the mobility of Belarusians as much as possible. We cannot allow a new iron curtain between Europe and Belarus. It is the regime that is interested in isolating Belarusians. The more contacts between Belarus and Europe, the less stable the dictatorship will be”.
