Sviatlana Tsikhanouskaya is on a visit to Brussels, where she spoke today at a plenary session of the European Economic and Social Committee dedicated to the resilience of the European Union’s eastern border regions. The session also featured Lithuania’s Vice-Minister of Finance, Neringa Rinkevičiūtė-Laurinaitienė, and Deputy Director-General for Regional and Urban Policy at the European Commission, Hugo Sobral.
The discussion focused on strengthening security, resilience, and development in countries along the EU’s eastern border. In her remarks, Ms. Tsikhanouskaya noted that Belarusians have spent years fighting for the same values on which the European Union is built. She stressed that the Lukashenka regime is deliberately isolating Belarusians from Europe, dismantling independent institutions, and persecuting everything that strengthens national identity.
Sviatlana Tsikhanouskaya called for maintaining pressure on the regime until real systemic change takes place while continuing to support Belarusian civil society, independent media, culture, and educational programs. She also proposed deepening cooperation between the democratic forces of Belarus and the European Economic and Social Committee to prepare for future reforms and the country’s European integration.
Sviatlana Tsikhanouskaya: “While isolating dictators, we must invest in people and their European aspirations. The stronger civil society is, the weaker the dictatorship becomes.
Help us promote Belarusian culture, language, and identity through exhibitions, cultural events, educational programs, and exchange initiatives. Let us work together on campaigns supporting political prisoners, independent journalists, workers’ rights, human rights, and efforts to counter disinformation.
Let us ensure that Belarus is part of broader European discussions on security, democracy, sovereignty, and Europe’s future. Let us strengthen ties between our civil society organizations through study visits, partnerships, and joint projects”.
