Today, Sviatlana Tsikhanouskaya began a visit to Strasbourg, where she met with the Secretary General of the Council of Europe, Alain Berset.
Ms. Tsikhanouskaya’s Special Advisor on Elections, Alexander Shlyk; Diplomatic Advisor, Dzianis Kuchynski; and Chief Advisor, Franak Viacorka; as well as the Speaker of the Coordination Council, Artsiom Brukhan, also attended the meeting.
The parties discussed the work of the Contact Group on Belarus, the Action Plan for 2026–2027, and the Council of Europe Information Point for Belarusians in Vilnius, which is expected to begin operating in the coming months. They also addressed the work of the Coordination Council’s delegation to the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe.
Within the framework of the Contact Group, the Council of Europe will host Belarusian interns, continue its program for Belarusian lawyers and attorneys, and work on implementing the Luxembourg Solutions to improve the situation of Belarusians in exile. The parties also discussed plans to prepare a roadmap for the integration of Belarus into the Council of Europe.
At the end of the meeting, Sviatlana Tsikhanouskaya ceremonially awarded Secretary General Berset the Cross of Good Neighborhood. This is an award of the United Transitional Cabinet of Belarus, presented to foreign citizens for their special contribution to Belarus’ relations with other countries and democratic transformation in the country.
Today, Sviatlana Tsikhanouskaya is scheduled to address the Committee of Ministers of the Council of Europe, hold a briefing for ambassadors, meet with the Secretary General of the Congress of Local and Regional Authorities, and take part in an event marking the anniversary of Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine.
