Today, the two-day conference “Helsinki Dialogue – A Democratic Future for Belarus” began in Helsinki. The conference brought together around 130 participants, including representatives of Belarusian democratic forces, civil society, experts, diplomats, as well as international experts and Finnish politicians.
The Belarusian leader delivered opening remarks, outlining how democratic forces envision Belarus after a democratic transition:
“We want a transition to democracy that is not only peaceful but also sustainable. Therefore, we are drafting the Constitution and a new election law. We must make sure that the tyranny will never repeat again in Belarus.
We want to build Belarus with human rights, pluralism of political opinions, rule of law, and diversity. These are values that underpin modern democratic states like Finland”.
Sviatlana Tsikhanouskaya emphasized the issue of Belarusian political prisoners:
“Many political prisoners are in a serious condition and urgently need our help. We are their only lifeline, and we must keep fighting for their release”.
During the conference, several discussions will take place on issues such as defending Belarus’ independence, achieving the release of political prisoners, preserving national identity, and holding elections in the Coordination Council.
