“President Roberta Metsola,
Honourable Manfred Weber,
Honourable Andrius Kubilius,
Honourable Rasa Juknevičienė,
Dear excellencies,
Distinguished members of EPP group,
For many-many years you have stood with democratic Belarus.
It’s the EPP who was always nearby when we needed help. It’s you who helped us to secure the release of political prisoners. It’s you who held the regime accountable. It’s you who pushed European and national parliaments to react swiftly, when Lukashenka took another crazy decision.
I know that I am among friends here today. However, hundreds of EPP colleagues can not join us today:
Among them is UCP chairman Mikalai Kazlou who has been illegally held by KGB thugs in prison for many months.
Among them is Pavel Sieviarynec, leader of Belarusian Christian Democracy, who has been behind bars for the last 858 days. It’s his third imprisonment. His physical state is unknown.
Among them is an activist of BPF Party, Vitold Ashurak, who was tortured to death in a Belarusian prison.
Let’s remind ourselves and let’s remind the world about 1350 political prisoners every day because we are their only hope. And we will never let them down.
It would be symbolic if the President and vice-presidents agree to become “godparents” for some political prisoners. It’s only five minutes of your time, but huge support for everyone behind bars…
Yes, the fight for freedom is dangerous, but it is a righteous fight. And we will win it.
Dear Mr Weber,
This week you said that Putin’s goal is not to win the war, but to destroy the Ukrainian people.
I couldn’t agree with you more. For Putin and Lukashenka, the people are the problem. Because people have opinions. Because people have rights. Because people can resist in the end.
In the world of dictators and their lust for unlimited power it is the people who create problems.
But it doesn't matter what dictators want. The questions I want to ask: What is the goal of the democratic world? And what are we ready to do to achieve this goal?
Dear friends,
I think we all agree on the first question. Our goal is a peaceful, safe and free world, where human life is the first and the main value. We want to rid ourselves of imperialistic wars and power-hungry tyrants.
So I suggest focusing on the second question: are we ready to fight for our values?
This will be a cold winter. There will be a new wave of populism. There will be those trying to convince us that we need peace at any price. There will be those who will say that Putin should be given what he wants because children in Africa are starving. There will be those who will say that “Lukashenka is an SOB, but he is our SOB”, and we need to help him.
Let me remind you again: tyrants can not be appeased or reeducated. Any attempts to make a deal are seen as a weakness. Democracies must show their teeth. Surely we don’t need to look at history to know that this is the only way to stop dictators.
The western attempts to appease Lukashenka led him to full impunity. Appeasement led to unprecedented waves of terror. To the hijack of an airplane. To the cynical use of migrants to create a crisis. And in the end, it made Lukashenka an accomplice in war.
Yesterday, one MEP called him the president. He is not! He is a war criminal.
Dear colleagues,
The terror conducted by Lukashenka and Putin in 2020 against the people of Belarus spilled over the entire region. Today, we know that the crackdown on Belarus's civil society was just a preparation for the war against Ukraine. If the world had been more decisive back then, this war might not have happened.
The very existence of Belarus is under threat. Putin and Lukashenka raise stakes. Again, they hope that the world will swallow it.
Like the creation of a so-called joint regional force meant to legalize the constant deployment of Russian troops on Belarus territory. And we should call it by its name: it’s an occupation.
Our position is clear: Belarus must officially withdraw from participation in Russian war. Every Russian soldier must leave Belarus unconditionally. All those involved in the Russian attack from Belarus must be held accountable.
Lukashenka doesn’t serve Belarusians, he serves Putin. The only reason that keeps Lukashenka from announcing general mobilization – is his fear of putting guns in the hands of ordinary Belarusians.
He knows that people of Belarus are dreaming of getting rid of him. Even under threat of being imprisoned and tortured, Belarusians resist the regime and show solidarity with Ukraine.
Belarusians warn the Ukraine army of missile launches and movements of Russian military equipment. Belarusian volunteers fight along with Ukraine in the Kalinouski battalion and Pahonia regiment. More and more Belarusians join the Peramoha (Victory) plan.
We do that because we are obliged to stand together against tyranny. And because we understand: the fates of Ukraine and Belarus are intertwined.
Victory for Ukraine is our chance to get rid of Lukashenka’s dictatorship and of the Kremlin’s influence. But this statement works the other way around too. Free Belarus is the guarantee of security for Ukraine and Europe.
Dear friends,
Let’s turn back to the question of how to achieve it.
My vision is simple:
1. Maximize the pressure on the regime of Lukashenka and Putin. Initiate the international tribunal against them. They are war criminals. Deprive dictators of a place in international organizations. Consider sanctions, including secondary ones, that will close all existing loopholes.
2. Differentiate policy in relation to Russia and Belarus, but also in relation to the regime and the people. Regime must be isolated, not Belarusians. Belarusians continue their fearles struggle and ask for your support. Belarusians want to hear the European perspective for Belarus. It will give us a vision of what we are fighting for.
3. Recognize Belarus as a partially occupied territory. And start recognizing the United Transitional Cabinet as a representative body of the Belarusian people. We need to formalize relations between the European Parliament and democratic Belarus.
Free Belarus will be the strongest sanctions against Putin. The best support for free Ukraine will be a 1,000 km safe border with free Belarus, and not with a Russian colony.
Dear Friends,
I am sure that the path to peace in Europe goes through freedom in Belarus. The path to peace in Europe leads through the victory of Ukraine. I know it's a difficult path, but that's the only right one. Let's walk this path together. Because only when we walk together, we are Europe”.
