On March 12, during her working visit to Latvia, Sviatlana Tsikhanouskaya met with the President of Latvia, Edgars Rinkēvičs.
Ms. Tsikhanouskaya thanked Latvia for its consistent support for Belarusians and the democratic forces, including its solidarity on the issue of political prisoners, Latvia’s contribution to the International Humanitarian Fund, and its principled position toward the Lukashenka regime.
The sides also discussed a number of important issues:
- the need to maintain and strengthen pressure on the regime, including through sanctions, closing loopholes used to circumvent restrictions, and coordination with partners;
- the humanitarian track and support for released political prisoners, including assistance to people after they leave Belarus;
- the regime’s involvement in Russia’s war against Ukraine and the importance of continued support for Ukraine;
- international coordination, including opportunities for cooperation within the NB8 format and on UN platforms;
- support for the Belarusian diaspora, Belarusian national identity, and the Belarusian language, as well as initiatives of the Belarusian community in Latvia.
Sviatlana Tsikhanouskaya: “It is important for us to feel that Latvia stands with us – both in supporting political prisoners and in our shared work for security in the region. A democratic Belarus is part of a secure Europe”.
