Dear EESC President Christa Schweng, members, dear friends,
I am honored to address you today on behalf of the Belarusian people. I want to thank the European Economic and Social Committee for inviting me and for organizing this important debate.
I want to thank you for your attention to the situation in Belarus. I am aware of your excellent report on media and ways to support independent journalism in Belarus. It is crucial that the EU implements and follows the recommendations in the report.
It’s not an exaggeration to say: We are living through a momentous time in history. The future of Europe is being decided right now.
It is being decided on the battlefields of Ukraine, in the Belarusian underground resistance, and of course in the great capitals of Europe.
The question is, are we as Europeans able to defend democratic values and freedoms, or will we let tyrannies take over again?
I wish that I could tell you that the human rights situation in Belarus is improving. But that is sadly not the case. In fact, it is getting worse and worse every day.
On average 17 people are detained daily for political reasons by the regime. That hides its terror and repression behind a wall of silence. Anyone who breaks the silence and speaks up risks many years in prison.
But we won’t be silenced. We have to speak for all those who cannot be heard. We have to speak about the torture, the inhuman treatment, the lack of medical care for prisoners, violation of workers’ rights and religion freedoms.
We have to speak about our Nobel Peace Prize winner Ales Bialiatski, who is on trial right now together with other human rights defenders from Viasna. We have to speak about Darya Losik, who was sentenced to two years for defending her husband, the political prisoner Ihar Losik.
We have to speak about the lawyer Vital Brahinets, who defended Mr. Bialiatski and other political prisoners for which he was sentenced to eight years in prison.
There are numbers: Almost 1,500 political prisoners. Among them — dozens of trade unions activists. Workers who responded to the regime's crimes with a legal strike. Almost all independent trade unions were banned in Belarus. Thousands of workers lost their jobs and were brutally repressed.
But we must remember that these are not just numbers, behind every name on the list is a human being, with family, with friends. An individual, just like you and me, who should be living a free and happy life, contributing to society in a free and democratic Belarus.
Last year alone, 5,000 politically motivated criminal cases were opened. Every day, Belarusian citizens are sentenced to 5, 10, 15 years in prison simply for criticizing the regime. One of them was sentenced to 5 years for donating 20 euro to Belarusian volunteers fighters in Ukraine. Before that he was interrogated by the KGB and tortured.
The already inhumane conditions in Belarusian prisons are getting worse as well. Stealing their freedom is just the start of a prisoners’ torment. They are denied basic human rights and contact with others. They receive no letters, no parcels, food or money transfers. Special tags are used to mark political prisoners, so the jailers know whom to torture more diligently (дилИджентли).
These waves of repression reveal the corrupt regime's true face. It is insecure and paranoid with violence as its only answer. The more that ordinary Belarusians struggle for freedom, the worse their repression.
It has become impossible for any political parties, independent media, civil society, even trade unions to work inside Belarus. Since 2021, more than 1,700 NGO’s and civil initiatives have been shut down. Many of them left the country to continue their work in exile.
The regime also cracked down on private sector. Hundreds of private companies, including IT giants, got repressed, had to relocate to the EU countries. Now they try to restore their operation mainly in Poland, Lithuania. Thanks to programs such as Poland Business Harbour they received access to Еuropean markets. Though they are in exile now, I know, that most of them want to come back and invest in New Belarus. Moreover, they are the stakeholders of future economic reforms.
In its desperate struggle to survive the regime is targeting its exiled opponents. It revokes their citizenship and uses the death penalty. On Monday, Lukashenka’s puppet parliament voted for the death penalty against officials and military who committed treason. It means that anyone who criticizes the regime or supports Sviatlana Tsikhanouskaya can be executed by firing squad.
Also, the illegitimate regime has denounced the Optional Protocol of the ICCPR. It wants to leave Belarusians without the possibility to defend themselves. Belarusians lost their right to make complaints about human rights violations at the international level.
There is a clear pattern here – a total disregard for international law and obligations, the rights of individual citizens and the very concept of justice. The so-called justice system has become a machine of repression. It serves only the purpose of keeping the dictator and his cronies in power.
Last month, the trial against me started in Minsk in absentia. It is a farce, and it has nothing to do with justice. The lawyer assigned to me by the court did not even bother to respond to my attempts to contact him. Last week they stole our family home and now they’ve put my husband on trial again – inventing new charges to add to his 18 years sentence.
And this is happening amid rumors spread by state propaganda that my husband has died. The regime is doing everything it can to break him and put pressure on me.
I can tell you here and now that it will never break him, and it will never break me.
Because we Belarusians are stronger than that. Despite all attempts, they failed to destroy the resistance. The protests went underground. People unite in small groups, where their actions and their networks are thriving.
They distribute the honest news. Support families of political prisoners. Monitor Russian troop movements and even carry out acts of sabotage on the railways to help our friends and allies, Ukraine.
Because there is a fundamental and direct connection between the liberation of Belarus and victory for Ukraine. Belarusians and Ukrainians are fighting the same evil – the tyranny and imperialism of Russia. And our fight is interdependent.
For Belarus to be finally free from Putin’s puppet, and to achieve democratic reforms, depends upon Ukraine’s victory against Russian aggression. A free and democratic Belarus is the best ally for Ukraine. A free and democratic Belarus is the strongest sanction against Putin.
Distinguished members,
We know that doing this work on our own is not enough. We have the energy for the fight of our lives. But we need your assistance to win it.
On one hand, it’s crucial to support those who fight within the country as well as from exile. Activists, volunteers, the families of those repressed. We need more help for media and information campaigns to counter Putin and Lukashenka’s propaganda.
Support for cultural initiatives and scholarships for young Belarusians. We need to shape the future elites now. Establish cooperation with the United Transitional Cabinet of Belarus, which I set up last year to ensure the democratic transition of power.
On the other hand, we need to tighten the screw, so help us put more pressure on Lukashenka. Because his regime threatens not only Belarusians, but our neighbours as well. It is his regime that enabled, facilitated and joined this war against Ukraine.
Sanctions against the regime must not have loopholes. I propose to establish a task force to monitor sanction enforcement. According to investigative journalists, Belarusian state-owned enterprise Hrodna Azot continues exporting its products to the EU despite sanctions. And it brings great profits thanks to cheap gas from Russia. This is a direct payment from the EU to the regime for enabling the war. It is blood money. And it must not flow anymore.
I also ask you to support the application of Article 33 of the ILO Constitution for repressions against workers. We must hold the regime in Minsk accountable for its crimes.
Dear friends,
After the war started, Belarusians who fled the violence and repression, faced discrimination in many countries. Belarusians suddenly became co-aggressors, even those of us who fight against the tyrant..
So, it’s crucial to distinguish between the Belarusian people and the regime. Belarusians stand on the side of Ukraine. They want freedom, democracy and independence. It’s the regime that became Putin’s collaborator and it is Lukasheka and his henchmen who must be brought to justice.
It’s also essential to show Belarusians a positive alternative, something to fight for. Belarusians must see and feel European perspectives. Sometimes it seems that Belarus is a problem to be solved another day. I often hear from western politicians say: “first, we’ll help Ukraine, then we’ll deal with Belarus.”
This is the wrong choice, leaving the regime intact risks ongoing tyranny and instability at the heart of Europe. We warn you that Belarus must not be Putin’s consolation prize. That road leads to disaster.
Finally, it is absolutely essential to include Belarus as we rethink a security structure for Europe. Make Belarus a part of this conversation. Initiate hearings on Belarus. Invite Belarusian democratic forces to international forums and events, so the voices of free Belarus are heard.
Excellencies,
The path to freedom and peace in Europe can be long and difficult, but let’s walk this path together. We believe the Eastern Partnership to be an important part of this.
As you know, the illegitimate Belarus regime withdrew from the Eastern Partnership in 2021. We consider this decision, along with all decisions and agreements made by the regime, to be illegal.
Our position is clear: Belarus should continue its participation in the Eastern Partnership, as it is a crucial instrument for helping our people. Belarusians feel that we are part of Europe and we see that two Eastern Partnership countries already have candidate status.
The Eastern Partnership is one of those markers that draws a distinct line between the regime's closed, dark view of the world and how Belarusians see their bright and open future.
Belarusians can clearly see the potential of the program. We need to preserve and develop Belarus’s participation so it is ready for transition. It should be used to prepare and implement reforms when democratic change comes.
We can use the potential and instruments of the Eastern Partnership to prepare for the transformations in Belarus.
Broadly this requires:
a) political and civic actors responsible for various reforms,
b) knowledge and solutions ready for implementation,
c) trained professionals to carry out reforms,
and finally readiness of public opinion to support reforms.
To meet these needs, it is necessary to focus on four key activities:
First, we want to form model institutions for the future. For example, broad education reform can be based on the experience of pilot projects. The model can be then rolled out across the entire education system, from kindergarten to secondary school and beyond. It would include educational materials and environment, management and teacher training systems. Systems like this can be applied across the whole of civil society, from the rule of law to the digital economy, from climate adaptation to tax reforms.
Second, we need specialists to implement these reforms. Education and professional training can be conducted through programs and fellowships. We will need to train managers in many areas: like public administration, business, green economy, education, and foreign affairs.
Third, reforms should have “owners” in the form of coalitions of public actors. The support program for civil society should help coalition-building of those who want to define reforms and policies. In a short-term perspective given the repression, support for Belarusian civil society needs flexibility and prompt decision-making.
Finally, because we want to build a strong democracy with a system of checks and balances a new media program is needed.
This will educate and offer space for the exchange of opinions of Belarusian society. The program can support any groups — from bloggers and individual journalists to traditional media — covering specific subjects: such as democratic governance, entrepreneurship, and digital transformation.
Cooperation with Belarus should continue in the Eastern Partnership framework through the Belarusian democratic leadership and civil society. The non-state actors will keep maximum access to the tools and capabilities of the Eastern Partnership.
In conclusion, I want to remind you that Belarusians see themselves as part of the European family. And they have shown a clear desire to live in a free and democratic country.
Please join us in building this new Belarus, for a better Europe, and to rebuild Ukraine. Let us make this future together and share our European values!
Thank you!
