“Dear Rector Petrauskas, Distinguished guests, ladies and gentlemen,
It is very crucial for Belarusians and Belarus to keep the problem of the political crisis in our country on the political, media, and international public agenda. Especially while every day, there are a lot of events in different countries which also demand the attention of the world community.
However, the specific feature of Belarus is that it is a country in Europe, which borders and has many connections with the EU: economic, political, cultural and historical. At the same time, human rights are violated on a large scale every day in this country, and undemocratic authorities deny the principle of the rule of law, saying that in Belarus, “there are times when laws don't imply”.
And indeed, Lukashenka made Belarus a country where the rule of law doesn’t exist . It has been dismantled – day by day, week by week, year by year – leading us to a situation of complete “legal default” in which we find ourselves today.
This is totally inappropriate and should not happen in a neighboring state with the European Union.
Democratic forces in Belarus want our country to be a reliable, rational, and predictable partner for other countries. The country that is not seen as a potential threat to regional security, as it is now. Especially after the precedent with the Ryanair plane and orchestrated migration. It is crucial to understand that both these precedents are taking place only because Lukashenka and his cronies are trying to keep power by any means.
It is paramount for me that the world understands the essence and content of the events in Belarus. Research and qualitative analysis of the situation are much-needed for this purpose. Last year, academics from different countries turned to Belarus, which has never been a very popular topic for research.
Not only the Belarusians themselves, but everyone interested in the stability and development of our region, needs new knowledge and a better understanding of what is happening in the country. Unfortunately, Belarus showed that after the collapse of the USSR, it was possible to go not to democracy, as it was done in Lithuania and other Baltic countries, but to autocracy, retention of power by one person with the help of repressions of various kinds.
Last week, the International Congress of Belarusian Studies was held in Kaunas. Today you start your work at the big international conference at Vilnius University. I hope that these and other academic events will help to understand the Belarusian situation better. Not only by analyzing it from different perspectives, but also by offering practical-oriented recommendations on what we, as democratic forces of Belarus, can and should do on the road to the liberation of our country. How can other democratic countries, governments and people of goodwill help us? I hope you’d be able to discuss these topics today, and please note that my office is always open for cooperation. Some of my team members are present at the event today and would be glad to discuss your suggestions and ideas.
Last but not least, I want to ask you one thing. After this conference, please do not stop. Continue your work on the Belarusian agenda as much as you can.
Remember that Belarusians rely on your assistance, your expertise and your dedication. I call on you to stay vigilant. I call on you to help us in the fight for justice and freedom. It is human lives that are at stake; it is human dignity that is at stake; it is my nation’s children’s future that is at stake.
I call on all of you to be bold and courageous. After more than two decades of authoritarian governance and a suffocating political climate, Belarusians have found the courage to fight for freedom and justice, showing to the whole world that nothing is impossible. I call on you to follow their example and do what you can to help us succeed.
Thank you for organizing this event, and I wish you a successful conference and work!”
