During the Dubrovnik Forum, Sviatlana Tsikhanouskaya met with the Prime Minister of Croatia, Andrej Plenković, at whose invitation he attended the event.
Ms. Tsikhanouskaya thanked the Prime Minister for supporting initiatives in defense of political prisoners in Belarus and for Croatia’s principled position in international organizations, including the OSCE. She also proposed appointing a special envoy for Belarus to strengthen Croatia’s support for democratic change in the country.
“Croatians understand Belarusians well – those who are fighting not only for freedom but also for independence. You know how easy it is to lose freedom and how hard it is to win it back. You know what tyranny is, and that’s why you support Ukraine and free Belarus. We value our friendship and solidarity,” Ms. Tsikhanouskaya noted.
The parties discussed the possibility of Croatia joining the International Humanitarian Fund, which Norway, Sweden, Denmark, Iceland, Estonia, Latvia, Luxembourg, and Spain already support.
They also addressed preparations for the upcoming UN General Assembly and the potential for joint Belarus-related events in New York during the High-Level Week.
Mr. Plenković and Ms. Tsikhanouskaya discussed Belarus’ potential involvement in the Three Seas Initiative, as Croatia will chair the format in 2026. Earlier this year, Ms. Tsikhanouskaya took part in the Three Seas Summit in Poland at the invitation of President Andrzej Duda.
At the Dubrovnik Forum, Sviatlana Tsikhanouskaya spoke in a panel discussion on values and the democracies’ fight against authoritarianism alongside speakers from across Europe and the US. She also held a number of bilateral meetings.
Ms. Tsikhanouskaya attended the official dinner with the Foreign Ministers of Ukraine, Albania, Italy, Croatia, Moldova, and Togo.
“Belarus is participating in the Dubrovnik Forum for the first time, and this is a chance to both share our positions and build new connections. There are many representatives from Balkan countries, the US, and even African politicians here. We’ve made many useful contacts. This is an opportunity to advance the Belarusian issue globally – and to help solve practical issues that Belarusians face”, the leader emphasized.
