Sviatlana Tsikhanouskaya is on a working visit to Austria. Today, leader of democratic Belarus:
– met with President Alexander Van der Bellen and discussed assistance for facilitating negotiations.
– met with the Belarusian diaspora in Vienna;
– spoke at the Austrian Parliament and the Diplomatic Academy of Vienna;
– met with the leaders of the Austrian parties and spoke about tortures in Belarusian prisons: that people are kept in inhumane conditions, cell's floors are covered with chlorine to prevent prisoners from breathing, people are stripped naked and forced to sleep on concrete floors or metal bars;
– called on Austrian parliamentarians to support the international campaign against torture and for the release of political prisoners in Belarus;
– spoke about the Covid situation in Belarus. Healthcare workers with whom Sviatlana Tsikhanouskaya regularly communicates ask WHO and the international community to conduct a real investigation into the falsification of Covid-19 statistics in Belarus;
– stressed that Austria could play an important role in the history of Belarus as a facilitator during the negotiations: “The regime is already weakened, and Austria can help increase pressure to accelerate the start of negotiations. Austria is one of the largest investors in Belarus, and local business can be more active in supporting human rights in Belarus”;
– spoke about the concept of law reinstatement and national reconciliation developed by the Coordinating Council, which, after the new fair election, will make it possible to avoid social divisions and carry out effective reforms;
– discussed at the Diplomatic Academy of Vienna international experience in organizing negotiations – as they took place in other countries with similar Belarusian crises. The negotiations proceeded peacefully and with the international community's participation, enabling States to emerge from the crisis and move to normalcy.
The deputies expressed solidarity with the Belarusian people. The Austrian parliament supports Ms. Tsikhanouskaya’s call for new presidential elections this year.
