Sviatlana Tsikhanouskaya’s working visit to Prague featured several high-level meetings, including with the President of the Czech Republic, Petr Pavel. During the conversation, the Belarusian leader raised several important issues, including the situation with political prisoners, harsh prison conditions, and coordinated pressure on the regime.
In addition, the dialogue focused on ways to stop Belarus’ involvement in the war. Sviatlana Tsikhanouskaya specifically raised the issue of the European perspective for Belarus and called on the president to support it. At the end of the meeting, the Belarusian leader presented Petr Pavel with the Cross of Good Neighbourhood.
After the meeting, Ms. Tsikhanouskaya noted: “I am grateful to Czechia and the Czech President for their firm position in supporting Ukraine and free Belarus. The most important thing I wanted to convey is that the Belarus issue must not be postponed for later and Belarus must not become a consolation prize for Putin. The crisis in the region requires a comprehensive solution that includes Belarus. Democratic changes in our country are an investment in the security of Ukraine and the entire Europe”.
Sviatlana Tsikhanouskaya also met with the Minister of Foreign Affairs, Jan Lipavský, the President of the Senate, Miloš Vystrčil, and the Speaker of the Parliament, Markéta Pekarová Adamová.
⚪️ Ms. Tsikhanouskaya urged the foreign minister to consider ways to soften the visa ban, including by making exceptions for certain groups, including students and relatives of Belarusians in the Czech Republic.
🔴 The President of the Czech Senate and the Belarusian leader laid flowers at the graves of the leaders of the Belarusian Democratic Republic. After the ceremony, Ms. Tsikhanouskaya and the Czech side discussed broader recognition of the United Transitional Cabinet and ways to strengthen its legitimacy.
⚪️ Ms. Tsikhanouskaya discussed a support campaign for political prisoners with the Speaker of the Parliament. A conference on Belarusian political prisoners is being prepared, organized by the Office of Belarus Democratic Forces in the Czech Republic and Czech patrons.
