Dear Mr Juozas Olekas,
Dear Ms Anna Fotyga,
Dear Ms Heidi Hautala,
Dear Ms Ewa Kopacz,
Dear organizers and participants of the forum, friends and colleagues,
My fellow Belarusians,
Three years ago, after the police crackdown on peaceful protesters in Minsk, our great friend Zygis Pavilionis organized the first Kalinowski conference in Vilnius. Since then, the conference has become a key platform that brings Belarus closer to Europe.
This time the conference is special for us. At today’s plenary session, the EP Resolution on Belarus has been adopted. It is an important political victory for all of us. We owe this success to many people, and some of them are here with us. The chairman of the EP Delegation for Belarus Juozas Olekas. The co-authors of the Resolution, Ms. Anna Fotyga, Mr. Thijs Reuten, and of course the rapporteur, dear Petras Auštrevičius – thank you very much for your work. For your heartfelt commitment to Belarusian democracy.
The Resolution acknowledges our European aspirations, as expressed in the declaration of democratic forces from August 6. Now, our main ambition is to bring Belarus back to Europe. That is, to achieve a status of a candidate member of the EU. To reach this goal, we have to get rid of the dictatorship which has been keeping us back in development for thirty years. Keeping us away from Europe.
Belarusians have been looking up to Europe for all this time. Long before the collapse of the Soviet empire, Europe meant quality of life, economic development, rule of law and, finally, freedom. Today, Belarusians don’t go to Russia, they go to Europe. The values of Europe is something that unites us.
Belarus has always belonged to Europe. In the Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth, traditions of democracy were deeply rooted. The king was elected by all the nobles of the country. Our Belarusian-written Statut of the Grand Duchy of Lithuania pre-dated and influenced the Polish Constitution. For centuries, our towns and cities were self-governed under the Magdeburg Law.
In 2020, Belarusians demonstrated the strong commitment to European values. Choosing democracy, we chose Europe. Since then, we as democratic forces of Belarus, are staying united in our democratic and European choice for Belarus.
I have no doubt that the European Union from Lisbon to Minsk will become a reality one day. To get there will probably take us a long time. But we have no choice but to start walking down this road.
There are steps which we should take as soon as possible. We should formalize relations between Belarusian democratic forces and The European Parliament by signing a memorandum of collaboration. We already formalized our relationship with the European Commission, by creating the EU-Belarus Consultative group, and with Council of Europe, where Contact group was created one year ago.
We have to elaborate the holistic strategy on solving Belarus crisis and bringing Belarus to Europe. This strategy could include five tracks: 1) pressure on the regime; 2) assistance to people 3) accountability for crimes; 4) commitment for the European future.
We should intensify contacts between free Belarus and Europe. On international events, the practice of an “empty chair” should be abandoned. The regime doesn’t represent Belarusians, but Belarusians deserve to be heard. And the Belarusian democratic movement, today, is the real voice of those millions, who are silenced by Lukashenka’s terror and pro-Russian propaganda.
Let’s stop mixing up Belarus and Lukashenka’s regime. They are not the same, they are two opposites.
One of these opposites is an usurper of power and a war criminal. We shouldn’t call him a president. And he must be held accountable for what he’s done. We have to apply principles of universal jurisdiction to bring him to justice. The case of Yury Harauski in a Swiss court is a good example. A warrant to arrest Lukashenka must be issued — for ordering torture, killings of his political opponents. For assisting Russian aggression against Ukraine, kidnapping Ukrainian orphans and other crimes.
We must support Ukraine in its noble fight for freedom and independence. It is also our fight. It is for us that Ukrainian soldiers, together with their Belarusian brothers in arms, give their lives everyday. They sacrifice themselves not only for Ukraine, but also for Belarus and for Europe.
We should tighten the sanctions against both Putin and Lukashenka. There must be no loopholes allowing them to circumvent the sanctions. Russia should pay dearly for undermining Belarusian sovereignty. Lukashenka should pay dearly for holding all the political prisoners and for supporting Russian aggression.
We should help all those Belarusians, who are in prison, who were released and also those who managed to escape persecution by leaving the country.
Speaking of which, I’m very happy to see human rights defender Leanid Sudalenka with us. In July, he was released from prison after two and half years behind bars. I’m sure that you will continue your work for Belarus from here, dear Leanid.
Today, Lukashenka takes revenge on exiled Belarusians by not renewing their passports. Europe should give these people a legal status so they don’t have to jeopardize their freedom by going back to Belarus.
We are in the process of developing a New Belarusian passport that will be issued by the United Transitional Cabinet, confirming that its holder is a Belarusian citizen. Very soon, we will produce specimens, and then we’ll campaign for the recognition of these documents by national governments.
Dear friends!
There’s a lot of work ahead of us. So we better start doing it, if we want to see the fruits of it in near future. Both Belarus and Ukraine will be free. Both will be part of the European Union. I personally have no doubt about that.
Let me quote our Nobel Prize winner Ales Bialiatski once again: “Today, Belarus is at the crossroads of history. Where will it go? In twenty years, will it be a part of the Russian empire, or a truly European country?”
The answer to these questions depends on us, today. Thinking of Ales Bialiatski, Mikalai Statkevich, Pavel Seviarynets, Maryja Kalesnikava, of Palina Sharenda-Panasiuk, and other political prisoners gives me strength to go on fighting for Belarus and Belarusians. We can’t fail them. Together, we will make their dream – our common dream – of European Belarus come true.
Long live Europe!
Zhyve Belarus!
