Over the past two days, a delegation of Belarusian democratic forces visited Pristina, the capital of Kosovo, at the invitation of the Office of the President of Kosovo. Representing Belarus were Franak Viacorka, Sviatlana Tsikhanouskaya’s Chief Advisor; Dzianis Kuchynski, Diplomatic Advisor; and Anatoli Liabedzka, Interparliamentary Cooperation Advisor. They were joined by Pavel Liber, founder of the digital platform “New Belarus.”
Key objectives of the visit:
📌 strengthening cooperation between democratic Belarus and the Republic of Kosovo;
📌 exchanging expertise in the field of legalization;
📌 utilizing digital tools to engage with the diaspora;
📌 supporting independent journalists;
📌 advancing the New Belarusian Passport project.
During the visit, the delegation met with:
– Learta Hollaj, Chief of Staff of the President of Kosovo;
– Florian Dushi, Deputy Mayor of Pristina;
– representatives of the Ministry of Internal Affairs and the Ministry of Foreign Affairs;
– the President of the Kosovo Chamber of Commerce;
– Germin, an organization working with the diaspora;
– the Ambassador of Albania to Kosovo.
Topics discussed during the meetings included:
– A program for Belarusian journalists and bloggers: Kosovo expressed readiness to host Belarusian and provide conditions for their work, following the example for Ukrainian journalists.
– Interparliamentary cooperation: The creation of a cross-party group “For Democratic Belarus” in the Kosovo Parliament was discussed, as well as the potential signing of a cooperation agreement with Belarusian democratic structures.
– Training programs in humanitarian security and demining: Kosovo offered opportunities for Belarusian volunteers to undergo training in preparation for future peacekeeping missions in Ukraine.
– The New Belarusian Passport: Consultations were agreed upon regarding the issuance of a new Belarusian passport. Kosovo has positive experience issuing passports to undocumented individuals—documents now recognized by most countries worldwide.
– Support for the IT sector and business cooperation: The Kosovo Chamber of Commerce is ready to organize a visit by Belarusian business associations and private sector representatives to explore opportunities for cooperation and relocation.
– Exchange of diaspora engagement strategies: Kosovo has a well-developed system for working with its diaspora and is open to sharing its tools. Representatives from “New Belarus” shared their experience of mobilizing Belarusians abroad.
Kosovo’s independence has been recognized by 120 countries, including most EU countries. Kosovo is represented in international organizations, ranks among the most dynamically developing economies in the Balkans, and is considered one of the safest countries in the region. On the international stage, Kosovo supports the democratic forces of Belarus and Ukraine, condemns the regimes of Lukashenka and Putin, and advocates for European integration.
