Mutual assistance and support
– Ms. Tsikhanouskaya held a coordination meeting of the Belarusian democratic forces: with the National Anti-Crisis Management team and its’ head Pavel Latushka, Viktar Babaryka’s HQ team, Volha Kavalkova and other representatives of the Coordination Council; politician Andrei Sannikau, journalist and political activist Iryna Khalip. They discussed support for workers, assistance to the repressed Belarusians, and initiatives in Belarus, work on the regime’s political and economic isolation.
– Ms. Tsikhanouskaya held a call with Belarusian school teachers. They talked about the introduction of classes of ideology, the appearance of turnstiles, and other attempts by the regime to control children and their parents. The teachers emphasized that their workload has increased dramatically. “When asked about the increase in salaries, a school administration replies that there are no funds, but they found funds for turnstiles instantly. The school is turning into a regime’s facility”.
– Leader of democratic Belarus also held a call with activists of the Workers’ movement. They continue their work and monitor the regime's attempts to circumvent the sanctions. For example, they said that construction at all Belaruskali facilities was stopped due to a lack of financing.
– Ms. Tsikhanouskaya held a call with the Situational Analytical Center (SAC) supported by BYPOL, a union of the former Belarusian law enforcers. They said that the SAC has moved on to the next stage of the Peramoga plan. They started to form units of those who had already registered to create action plans for them. The Peramoga plan is meant to create a mobilization reserve and, at the right time, mobilize the people of Belarus.
– Sviatlana Tsikhanouskaya expressed her support for Maryia Kalesnikava and Maksim Znak, who were sentenced to 11 and 10 years in prison the last Tuesday. “The regime would love to see Maryia and Maksim crushed and exhausted. But we see our heroes strong and free in spirit”. In Poland, Ms. Tsikhanouskaya and Tatsiana Khomich, Maryia’s sister, had a joint press conference about Maksim, Maryia, and other political prisoners.
– Leader of democratic Belarus shared the news about her husband, activist and blogger Siarhei Tsikhanouski imprisoned by the regime. Siarhei’s mother was denied a visit to her son in prison. Siarhei reads and quotes Mahatma Gandhi: “First they ignore you, then they laugh at you, then they fight you, then you win”.
International Work
– Sviatlana Tsikhanouskaya, Pavel Latushka, together with Belarusian politician Aliaksandr Milinkevich, spoke at the panel discussion on the resolution of the Belarusian political and humanitarian crisis at the Karpacz Economic Forum in Poland. “We can’t let this year become another 2011. Trade of political prisoners must not be allowed. No deals with Lukashenka”.
– Senior advisor to Ms. Tsikhanouskaya Franak Viačorka took part in a political conference in Kyiv, where he consulted with the Presidential Administration and the Foreign Ministry of Ukraine.
– Mr. Viačorka commented on any agreements of other states with the Belarus’ regime: “All these agreements will be reviewed in the future”.
– Ms. Tsikhanouskaya had a meeting with Czech Foreign Minister Jakub Kulhanek in Vilnius. They discussed criminal cases under the universal criminal jurisdiction, further sanctions, and the establishment of the Belarusian democratic forces office in the Czech Republic.
– Mr. Viačorka spoke on the further plans of the OST Foreign Policy Department.
Expansion of the economic team and reforms elaboration
– Leader of democratic Belarus expanded her economic team. Yauheni Bury, Iryna Sazanovich, Nikolay Prokofiev, and other experts joined it. More information on what the team will be working on is here.
– Sviatlana Tsikhanouskaya discussed reform projects with Teresa Czerwińska, the Vice-President of the European Investment Bank. The main goal is to turn the ideas into concrete actions to help Belarus in the transitional period and later on.
– At the Economic Forum in Karpacz, Ms. Tsikhanouskaya held a working meeting with the Belarusian economists and analysts, including Serzh Naurodski, Yaueni Bury, Katsiaryna Barnukova, Lev Lvovskiy, Siarhei Chaly. Independent experts will continue to work with Ms. Tsikhanouskaya's team to develop opportunities to support Belarusians and their honest private businesses.
– Sviatlana Tsikhanouskaya’s Representative for Economics, Ales Aliakhnovich, organizes a large Belarusian-Russian economic conference on September 17. Register here.
– Mr. Aliakhnovich summed up the results of the forum and explained why reforms have to be prepared now.
– Ms. Tsikhanouskaya spoke about the situation in Belarus in several interviews: Belsat (Belarus), Espreso.tv (Ukraine), RTE и RTE-Radio (Ireland), Iran-TV Int. (Iran), Testigo Directo (Colombia), Der Tagesspiegel and DLF (Germany).
