“Dear ladies and gentlemen,
I am honored to speak at the Euronest Parliamentary Assembly on behalf of the democratic forces of Belarus.
You are legitimate representatives of the citizens of the EU Member States and EU partner countries. Unfortunately, the Belarusian parliament and government do not have any legitimacy to represent the people of Belarus at this forum or any other. They have failed to conduct free and fair elections for decades, undermining the very foundation of a resilient society. They have given the people no other choice but to demand an urgent change.
The Eastern Partnership policy is essential for building and strengthening resilient, democratic societies in the region. And this is what the people of Belarus are striving for. They demand a peaceful democratic transition, and they have proven their determination.
Since the fateful 9 August election, the repressions have reached over 35 thousand arrests and more than 3 thousand criminal cases, with currently 354 political prisoners in our country of 9.5 million people. These numbers are constantly growing.
The Eastern Partnership is built on common values of democracy and human rights bringing the countries together to work for accountable institutions, the rule of law, and security. And these are our priorities for new Belarus. Unfortunately, all the people of Belarus have known so far is disrespect for checks and balances, lawlessness, and constant threat to the independence of their country.
Due to the election fraud and human rights violations, the Council of the EU decided to downgrade the Eastern Partnership cooperation with Belarus to a non-political level and intensify cooperation with civil society.
Civil society is the backbone of the Belarusians’ resilience in the face of repression. In response to its activities, the government is making the laws even more restrictive. They are adding human rights advocates, civil society activists, and independent media representatives to the terrorists’ list. People who want democracy, prosperity, and stability for their country and want to achieve those by peaceful means are treated as terrorists. But we will not be deterred on the path to the new Belarus.
That is why around 800 thousand Belarusians have lately supported my call for negotiations to resolve the crisis. We have been working with the European Union and its Member States, with the OSCE, with the USA, UK, and Canada to advance on the way towards the negotiations.
The negotiations will center around three major priorities:
1. First, national dialogue and reconciliation based on the release of all political prisoners and restoration of their rights;
2. Second and central to the process, new free and fair elections;
3. Third, reform of the political system, restoration of the rule of law, and respect for human rights.
We believe that OSCE is the right platform for these negotiations since it includes a wide range of members. Several EU Member States could play a crucial role in the mediation of the dialogue between the regime and the society. They can become guarantors of obligations that parties of the negotiations would commit to.
We are working hard so that the peaceful democratic transition takes place. In relation to this, we welcome the talks on the launch of a comprehensive plan of economic support for democratic Belarus. We have recently discussed with the EU substantial financial and technical assistance for institutional reforms and economic development. This plan is crucial for the transition to take shape.
In addition to political dialogue and economic support, I want to reiterate the importance of people-to-people contacts. The conclusion of the visa facilitation agreement is an important step. However, in the new Belarus, we want to discuss further progress in the area of visa policy so that Belarusians can travel to the EU visa-free. They should also be offered possibilities to take part in European exchange programs like Erasmus Plus and Horizon Europe.
The new Belarus we are building is going to be a resilient, inclusive, and democratic society. The new Belarus will be a reliable partner of the EU that will contribute to the stability, security, and prosperity of the Eastern Partnership region. We are looking forward to our representatives being invited to the Euronest Parliamentary Assembly as legitimate members since the elections will be held under international observation and will truly reflect the will of the people.
The Eastern Partnership aims to deliver tangible results for people, and the people of Belarus are demanding change. We are sure that with your support, we will achieve this goal and common goals of the Eastern Partnership.
Thank you!”.
