“FOR A DEMOCRATIC BELARUS” GROUP IN THE OSCE PA
On July 4, the Interparliamentary Group “For a Democratic Belarus” was officially launched within the Parliamentary Assembly of the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe during its session in The Hague, bringing together 35 MPs from 17 countries. The group will coordinate support for the democratic forces of Belarus and keep Belarus high on the OSCE agenda. Sviatlana Tsikhanouskaya thanked the MPs for their continued support and stressed that a free Belarus is a matter of European security.
ADDRESS ON JULY 3
On July 3, the anniversary of the liberation of Minsk from Nazi occupation that is celebrated by the regime as Belarus’s Independence Day, Sviatlana Tsikhanouskaya addressed Belarusians: “Independence begins with the simple freedoms: being able to live in your own country, raise your children, speak your native language, elect your government, and know that no one else is deciding your country’s future. This is the Belarus we deserve: free from endless repression, free from the Russian military presence, and free from complicity in war. A Belarus that is a safe home for its people and determines its own future”.
KUPALLE CELEBRATIONS AT THE MROYA HOMESTEAD
Sviatlana Tsikhanouskaya, Pavel Latushka, representatives of civil society, and members of the Belarusian diaspora visited the Mroya homestead, located near the Belarusian border in Poland. The homestead was purchased by Siarhei Hun and Natallia Tsiuliupava, who had to leave Belarus for Poland because of political persecution and are now building an eco-village they describe as “a piece of our homeland with its own unique vibe”. The hosts gave guests a tour and shared the story of how the homestead came to be. More than 50 people gathered there to celebrate Kupalle. Sviatlana Tsikhanouskaya joined the participants to weave traditional Kupala wreaths, dance in circles, and sing Belarusian folk songs.
COMMENT ON THE STRIKE ON A BUS CARRYING BELARUSIANS IN RUSSIA
On July 1, a drone struck a passenger bus near the Russia–Belarus border. The bus was traveling from Minsk to Anapa via Homiel and Dobrush, carrying two drivers and twelve passengers. Sviatlana Tsikhanouskaya released a statement: “For the second time in two weeks, a bus carrying Belarusians has come under attack on Russian territory. Once again, our people have suffered from the criminal war that Russia unleashed against Ukraine and continues trying to drag Belarus into. This is also a consequence of Lukashenka’s irresponsible policies and the regime’s propaganda, which steadfastly supports this war, as well as of those officials who ignore the risks and continue sending Belarusians to Russia”.
RELEASE OF 28 POLITICAL PRISONERS
Sviatlana Tsikhanouskaya welcomed the release of 28 political prisoners: “The news of the release of 28 political prisoners is, above all, a relief for their families — for those who were separated from their loved ones and lived in hope of the day they would be reunited. At the same time, we must not forget that hundreds of political prisoners remain behind bars in Belarus, and every one of them must be released. We are waiting for each and every one of them to come home”.
NEW EPISODE OF “AS IS” WITH ANATOLI LIABEDZKA
In the new episode of “As Is” on YouTube, Sviatlana Tsikhanouskaya’s Advisor on Parliamentary Cooperation, Anatoli Liabedzka, addressed the major political developments of recent weeks, including Volodymyr Zelenskyy’s ultimatum to the regime in Belarus, the implications of Belarus being drawn into the war, the work of the new Coordination Council, and the European Parliament’s resolution on political prisoners in Belarus.
MEDIA
AP News (International), Gazeta Prawna (Poland), Novyny.LIVE (Ukraine), Novyny.LIVE (Ukraine), Novyny.LIVE (Ukraine), Novyny.LIVE (Ukraine), Belsat (Belarus).
