Ms. Tsikhanouskaya thanked Foreign Minister Jeppe Kofod for the invitation and support from the Danish government. She spoke on the persecution of trade union leaders in Belarus and the authorities' attempts to shut down all trade unions.
“We need to act decisively. The persecution of trade unions is unprecedented and requires a response from the ILO and the international community”, Sviatlana Tsikhanouskaya stressed. As Mr. Kofod and Ms. Tsikhanouskaya discussed the seventh package of sanctions, the national leader of democratic Belarus suggested including Lukashenka's MPs who voted for repressive laws, including those extending the death penalty. The Minister assured Ms. Tsikhanouskaya that Denmark does not support lifting sanctions against Lukashenka's regime in exchange for transit of grain from Ukraine.
The Minister informed Sviatlana Tsikhanouskaya that Denmark will continue to support Belarusian cultural initiatives within the framework of the Danish New Democracy Fund and finance the International Accountability Platform for Belarus. The Platform is formed by Belarusian and international human rights defenders. It has already gathered 13,000 pieces of evidence of the Lukashenka regime's crimes and plans to gather up to 20,000 documents by the end of the year. The documents should help international courts and tribunals in a free Belarus to hold the perpetrators accountable. The Platform, initially supported by Denmark, Germany, and Great Britain, is now supported by 19 countries.
Sviatlana Tsikhanouskaya asked Foreign Minister Kofod to resume issuing visas to Belarusians. She noted that Denmark had stopped issuing visas to Belarusians a couple of weeks ago. “Being able to get visas and leave gives a sense of security, especially for those who continue to struggle 'on the ground'. Many are fleeing from persecution, and for many, it is an opportunity to continue working”, Ms. Tsikhanouskaya said. The Minister assured her that visa issuance will be resumed. Now, the Danish Foreign Ministry is looking for opportunities to issue visas in Minsk, but in the meantime, Belarusians can apply for visas abroad. The Danish Foreign Ministry has already announced that Belarusians can get Danish visas in the Danish consulates in other countries.
