Today Sviatlana Tsikhanouskaya met with ambassadors of Denmark, the Netherlands, Sweden, Canada, Ireland and a representative of the Nordic Council to discuss the events of the past weekend.
Sviatlana stated that the situation requires decisive actions: it’s time to impose economic sanctions on state enterprises and companies connected to Lukashenko, suspension of programs of financial development, that go through the state, suspension of cooperation with state banks – in particular with Belarusbank and Belagroprombank. The restrictions on purchasing oil products and other products of state enterprises from Belarus were also discussed. All these measurements are connected to apparent escalation of violence by the regime.
It is expected that EU countries will impose new individual sanctions and discuss imposing economic sanctions still this week.
During the meeting, the ambassadors told that their countries have been already helping Belarusian journalists, families of political prisoners, activists, workers and students. The ambassadors have also supported the initiation of international investigation of crimes against people of Belarus under universal jurisdiction.
Sviatlana Tsikhanouskaya stated that after Lukashenka leaves presidency, Belarus will join the International Criminal Court that takes up cases of genocide, war crimes and crimes against humanity. This will guarantee an independent and impartial trial of regime’s accomplices and won’t let them exempt from punishment.
Sviatlana has also called on diplomats, who remain in Belarus, for more decisive actions during protests, as their presence protects people from unjustified violence from the regime's side.
