On February 22, Sviatlana Tsikhanouskaya addressed the European Economic and Social Committee in Brussels. Her speech was heard by over 300 delegates from 27 countries, including representatives from the private sector, trade unions, and civil society.
During her speech, Sviatlana Tsikhanouskaya:
- talked about the criminal cases against Ales Bialiatski and Viasna human rights defenders, Ihar and Darya Losik, her husband Siarhei Tsikhanouski and herself, lawyer Brahinets, and trade union leaders;
- called for support for exiled Belarusian businesses so that they could later invest in the new Belarus;
- stated that Belarus does not recognize the regime's decision to withdraw from the Eastern Partnership and asked for democratic Belarus to be included in EU projects;
- welcomed the committee's recommendations to support independent media;
- called for action against the Lukashenka regime in accordance with Article 33 of the International Labour Organization Constitution;
- initiated the creation of a contact group between the Committee and democratic Belarus (as is done in the Council of Europe) and proposed to develop a roadmap for cooperation;
- called for distinguishing between the Lukashenka regime and the Belarusian people and defending Belarusian independence today instead of postponing the issue of Belarus for later.
