Sviatlana Tsikhanouskaya met with the Minister of Foreign Affairs of the Czech Republic, Petr Macinka. The meeting took place at the Mission of Belarus Democratic Forces in Prague, rather than at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, serving as a special gesture of support for the democratic forces and people of Belarus.
Minister Macinka was accompanied by representatives of the Czech Foreign Ministry and his advisors. Ms. Tsikhanouskaya thanked Minister Macinka and the Czech Republic for consistently supporting Belarusians and the democratic forces and maintaining a principled stance toward the Lukashenka regime.
Petr Macinka confirmed that, following his previous meeting with Sviatlana Tsikhanouskaya, a decision had been made to simplify visa procedures and issue visas to relatives of Belarusians residing in the Czech Republic. The official decision is expected to be published in the near future.
The parties discussed:
- the military and political situation in the region: Sviatlana Tsikhanouskaya stressed that the democratic forces aim to prevent Belarus from even deeper involvement in Russia’s aggression against Ukraine;
- efforts to secure the release of political prisoners;
- support for Belarusians subjected to repression;
- the possibility of the Czech Republic joining the International Humanitarian Fund;
- the appointment of a dedicated special envoy for cooperation with the democratic forces of Belarus;
- international accountability for the regime: Ms. Tsikhanouskaya emphasized the importance of international efforts to hold the Lukashenka regime accountable for crimes against humanity and complicity in war crimes.
Sviatlana Tsikhanouskaya: “I am grateful to Minister Macinka for his trust, for supporting our Office in Prague, and for supporting the Belarusian cause on the international stage. The Minister assured me that support for Belarus remains unchanged and that Belarusians can continue to count on the backing of the Czech Government. I am especially grateful that we were able to resolve the visa issue for relatives of Belarusians living in the Czech Republic. This will help many people facing serious difficulties”.
