On December 1, Sviatlana Tsikhanouskaya paid a visit to Norway, during which she held a series of meetings with the country’s leadership, members of parliament, and representatives of civil society.
The visit aimed at strengthening cooperation between Norway and the democratic forces of Belarus, as well as to coordinate actions in international institutions in the context of regional security and support for Belarusians.
Ms. Tsikhanouskaya met with the President of the Storting (Norwegian Parliament), Masud Gharahkhani, as well as representatives of major political parties. President Gharahkhani emphasized that Belarus remains a priority for Norway and the country will continue to support Belarus’ democratic community.
The Parliamentary Group “For Democratic Belarus” was officially launched, joined by eight members from five parliamentary factions. The group will take part in the Interparliamentary Alliance “For Democratic Belarus”, draw attention to the issue of political prisoners, and help address diaspora-related challenges.
During her meeting with Norway’s Minister of Foreign Affairs, Espen Barth Eide, Ms. Tsikhanouskaya thanked Norway for its support of political prisoners, civil society, cultural initiatives, and independent media, and called for continued assistance to the International Humanitarian Fund that assists repressed Belarusians.
The parties discussed the following issues:
- the course of negotiations between Ukraine and Russia, and the risks for Belarus. Ms. Tsikhanouskaya stressed that Belarus must not lose its independence or remain under Russia’s control as a result of any negotiations. Russian troops and nuclear weapons must be withdrawn from Belarus;
- the internal situation in Belarus and ongoing repression;
- problems faced by Belarusian volunteers fighting for Ukraine;
- humanitarian releases of political prisoners in Belarus. Sviatlana Tsikhanouskaya welcomed US diplomatic efforts to secure releases but emphasized the need to maintain pressure on the Lukashenka regime until repression completely ends;
- support for international accountability mechanisms and continued assistance to human rights defenders, including the International Accountability Platform for Belarus (IAPB);
- preparations for the OSCE Ministerial Council meetings and cooperation in the NB8 format;
- hybrid attacks by the regime against Poland and Lithuania, including the use of migrants and drone activity aimed at disrupting operations at Vilnius Airport, as well as the situation with European trucks taken hostage by the regime in Minsk.
At the meeting with the Minister of International Development, Anne Beathe Tvinnereim, Sviatlana Tsikhanouskaya discussed expanding support for the repressed, cultural projects, humanitarian programs, and Belarusian journalists. She expressed gratitude for Norway’s support for repressed human rights defenders, the International Humanitarian Fund, and the International Accountability Platform for Belarus, which collects evidence of crimes committed by the Lukashenka regime. She highlighted the work of Belarusian journalists and civil society both inside the country and in exile, emphasizing that Belarusians need to see a future after and without Lukashenka – and that initiatives supporting the vision of a new Belarus are essential.
The visit resulted in the following outcomes and plans:
- The Storting launched the Group “For Democratic Belarus,” which includes eight members from five factions;
- Norway will allocate additional funds to support the repressed through the International Humanitarian Fund. Last year, Norway allocated €850,000;
- Norway will continue existing programs supporting civil society, independent media, and human rights defenders;
- Progress has been made on one of the key issues related to Belarusians’ legal status in Norway. Work is underway on solutions that will simplify migration procedures and allow Belarusians to renew documents without returning to Belarus, reducing security risks;
- The issue of Belarus will be raised at the OSCE Ministerial Council meeting in Vienna this week, as well as at the meeting of the Nordic-Baltic Eight (NB8);
- In 2026, an expert policy seminar on energy security and prospects for the energy sector in Belarus is planned.
