Sviatlana Tsikhanouskaya enlisted the support of Greece, appointed Siarhej Zikratski as Representative on Legal Affairs, discussed with the EU representatives the draft Comprehensive Plan for Belarus and the 4th package of sanctions. Sviatlana Tsikhanouskaya’s Office continues to insist on international isolation of the regime, assistance to political prisoners, workers, students, and other persecuted groups.
International work
– The European Commission presented to the leader of democratic Belarus the draft Comprehensive Plan for Belarus. The plan provides a macro-financial mechanism for Belarus and support from the IMF, World Bank, EBRD during the transition period and after the new presidential elections in Belarus. The plan includes holding a large investment forum on Belarus.
– Sviatlana Tsikhanouskaya took part in the Delphi Economic Forum in Athens and held meetings with the President of the Hellenic Republic Katerina Sakellaropoulou, Greek Foreign Minister Nikos Dendias, Mayor of Athens Kostas Bakoyannis, President of the Government of the Republic of North Macedonia Zoran Zaev, former President of the European Council Donald Tusk. Ms. Tsikhanouskaya also thanked Greece for not presenting credentials to Lukashenka. Greece supports sanctions and the EU Comprehensive Plan for Belarus. More about the results of Ms. Tsikhanouskaya’s visit to Greece – on Belsat.
– The head of the Cabinet of Representatives Valery Kavaleuski updated representatives of People’s Embassies of Belarus on the international work of Ms. Tsikhanouskaya’s team. He also conducted successful consultations on the refusal to give credentials to the regime. The ambassadors of Greece, Luxembourg, and France to Belarus withdrew from the ceremony.
– The Foreign Ministers of Greece and Slovakia told Sviatlana Tsikhanouskaya that the EU is preparing the fourth package of sanctions against representatives of the regime and businesses that support the regime.
Mutual assistance and support
– Sviatlana Tsikhanouskaya appointed Siarhej Zikratski as Representative on Legal Affairs. Mr. Zikratski will work on the reform of mechanisms for protecting the rights of Belarusians, coordinating work on universal jurisdiction, and working with human rights defenders on protecting political prisoners and repressed Belarusians. Siarhej Zikratski told more about his work for Euroradio.
– Valery Kavaleuski commented on Sviatlana Tsikhanouskaya’s conversation with Belarusian siloviki, or security services officers: “Our position is unambiguous: military ranks and diplomatic titles that were lost after siding with the people will be restored, officer’s seniority – saved”.
– Ms. Tsikhanouskaya’s advisor Alexander Dabravolski and the Head of the Cabinet Valery Kavaleuski participated in the meeting of the initiative “Shod” (eng. “Assembly”) and answered questions on the plans of the Office.
– Sviatlana Tsikhanouskaya supported imprisoned students and teachers ahead of court hearings on their trials on May 14. On the day of the trial, she laid flowers in Athens at the students’ memorial, whose uprising marked the beginning of the end of the dictatorship in Greece. Students, journalists, and Ms. Tsikhanouskaya’s Representative Anatoli Liabedzka, who gathered to support students at the court hearing, were detained. Despite the ongoing repressions, Mr. Liabedzka’s team will continue working on the draft Constitution of New Belarus.
– The volunteers of the Office summarized the results of the campaign #мненужныпереговоры (eng. “I need negotiations”). They printed and distributed around 36,000 leaflets and 50,000 stickers. They also sent more than 600 letters and postcards to World War II veterans, printed and distributed brochures and stickers about the Workers Movement.
– Ales Aliakhnovich, Representative for Economics, has prepared for publication a project of economic support for the strikers’ movement and those who have suffered repressions. It includes the cancellation of debts due to the termination of contracts, the restoration of ranks, and seniority. The draft will be published within a week.
– Sviatlana Tsikhanouskaya, in interviews for Belarusian and foreign media, spoke about the situation in Belarus, repressions, and facilitation of negotiations: Belsat, Aftenposten (Norway), Corriere Della Sera (Italy).
