On June 10, the President of the Czech Republic, Petr Pavel, received Sviatlana Tsikhanouskaya in Prague. As the Head of the United Transitional Cabinet of Belarus, Ms. Tsikhanouskaya thanked President Pavel for the Czech Republic’s principled position on Belarus. The parties discussed the regional security situation, efforts to secure the release of political prisoners, sanctions, Czech support for Belarusians in exile, and assistance to those affected by repression.
Sviatlana Tsikhanouskaya spoke about her recent visit to Kyiv, her meetings with President Volodymyr Zelenskyy, and cooperation with Ukraine. She noted that Ukraine has taken a principled stance toward Belarus and the country’s democratic forces. The discussion also covered threats posed by the Lukashenka regime, the militarization of Belarus, and its use by Russia for military purposes. Ms. Tsikhanouskaya stressed that one of the democratic forces’ key goals is to prevent Belarus from being drawn into the war, an objective shared by both Belarus and Ukraine.
The parties separately addressed changes in the regional political landscape, the outcome of the election in Armenia, and Russia’s influence on developments in Belarus and other countries in the region.
President Pavel and Ms. Tsikhanouskaya discussed possible future scenarios for Belarus, prospects for the country after Lukashenka, and steps the European Union could take to support the democratic part of Belarusian society. They also addressed the sanctions policy. They agreed that there are no signs of the regime changing its behavior: even while releasing some individuals, it continues to take new hostages. Sviatlana Tsikhanouskaya called for supporting the diplomatic efforts by the United States President, Donald Trump, and his administration to secure the release of political prisoners while at the same time pressing for a complete end to repression.
She spoke about cooperation with the Czech Government and international organizations, the work of the Office of Belarus Democratic Forces in the Czech Republic, and recent progress in efforts to hold the regime accountable. In particular, the discussion focused on the International Criminal Court’s investigation into crimes against humanity and the possible prosecution of Lukashenka in the Special Tribunal for the Crime of Aggression against Ukraine that is being established now. Ms. Tsikhanouskaya expressed hope that the Czech Republic would continue supporting these efforts.
At the end of the meeting, Sviatlana Tsikhanouskaya presented President Petr Pavel with the book “Ruins of Belarus”, which was recognized as one of the most beautiful books published in Poland. While signing the book, she noted that Belarus has always been, and will remain, part of European history and the European cultural space.
Sviatlana Tsikhanouskaya: “I thanked President Pavel not only for his principled position on Belarus, but above all for his support for Ukraine. Because the fate of Belarus also depends on Ukraine. We had an honest discussion about the situation inside Belarus, the threats surrounding our country, and possible future scenarios. We talked about what comes after Lukashenka and how to preserve and strengthen Belarusian independence. We also discussed sanctions — how to make them more effective and how to compel the regime to release people. I know that Belarusians can count on the support of President Pavel, the Czech Government, and Czech society”.
During her visit to Prague, Sviatlana Tsikhanouskaya also met with the Minister of Foreign Affairs, Petr Macinka, the Speaker of the Senate, Miloš Vystrčil, and representatives of Belarusian NGOs in Prague.
