NEW BELARUS CONFERENCE. On August 6, the Office of Sviatlana Tsikhanouskaya, the United Transitional Cabinet, and the Coordination Council will hold the New Belarus Conference 2023 in Warsaw. Representatives of civil initiatives and political organizations, activists, entrepreneurs, and experts are invited to come together to reflect on the past three years and identify our successes and failures. But most importantly, to discuss what should be done to address the challenges. Registration is open until July 23.
EUROPEAN PARLIAMENT REPORT. On July 18, the European Parliament released a report on the EU-Belarus relations adopted by the Foreign Affairs Committee. Sviatlana Tsikhanouskaya’s Advisor for Interparliamentary Cooperation Anatoli Liabedzka attended the vote in Brussels and reported from the committee meeting: “47 MEPs voted in favor of the report and only 3 voted against”.
The report demands that the International Criminal Court issue an arrest warrant for Lukashenka; calls on the EU not to recognize any agreements between the Lukashenka regime and Russia adopted against the will of the Belarusian people; urges the EU member states to support Belarus’ democratic forces and civil society.
Kristina Rikhter, Sviatlana Tsikhanouskaya’s Advisor on Legal Affairs, commented on the report: “We must understand that after appearing in an official report, such a call becomes an item for discussion. And we have to urge MEPs to promote this request at their national level. Then governments can inform the ICC prosecutor about the situation in Belarus”.
BELARUS-CZECHIA. The Czech Republic allocated government scholarships to support Belarusan students. In 2023/2024, 11 people will receive such scholarships, including former political prisoners, people who suffered bodily injuries from the regime, as well as activists.
COORDINATION COUNCIL HEARINGS. On June 22, Sviatlana Tsikhanouskaya resolved to hold hearings in the Coordination Council to hear reports and approve the candidates for representatives of the United Transitional Cabinet. On July 18, CC Speaker Andrei Yahorau announced the hearings will be held on August 2-3.
OFFICE VOLUNTEERS. Sviatlana Tsikhanouskaya and Franak Viacorka held a meeting with Office volunteers. They discussed the NATO Summit, regional security, and issues faced by Belarusians. Ms. Tsikhanouskaya noted that “it depends only on us at what level and how often Belarus will be on the agenda”. She called on all Belarusans to raise the issues of Belarus in all discussions, at any level, even among themselves. You can read the interview in Belarusian at the link or support the volunteer program through BYSOL.
MEDIA. Sviatlana Tsikhanouskaya spoke to Ukrainian television host Masha Efrosinina about how the past three years have affected her life. “Women are much more brave and resilient than we can imagine. If life puts you in a certain situation, you get out there and do what you need to do. When something becomes your responsibility, you take that responsibility and carry it. You don't know when, you don't know how we will win, but you know you have to work every day to do it”, noted the Belarusian leader.
Sviatlana Tsikhanouskaya also gave interviews to RFE/RL Belarusian Service (1, 2) (Belarus), La Repubblica (Italy), SBS World News (Australia), Guardian (International), LRT (Lithuania), TV-8 (Moldova), Radyio Racyja (Belarus), SBS World News (Australia), DW (1, 2) (International), Voice of America (International).
