On February 11, Sviatlana Tsikhanouskaya, the international team of her Office, Head of the Cabinet and Representative for International Affairs Valery Kavaleuski, Representative for economic reforms Ales Alekhnovich, Representative for constitutional reform Anatoly Lyabedzka addressed the deputies of the inter-factional group “For a democratic Belarus” of the Verkhovna Rada of Ukraine. The meeting was organized by the head of the inter-factional association “For Democratic Belarus” MP from the “European Solidarity” Aleksey Goncharenko.
Sviatlana Tsikhanouskaya:
– thanked Ukrainians for their solidarity, assistance to the Belarusian people, not recognition of Lukashenkaand the officially announced results of the elections;
– spoke about the peaceful struggle of Belarusians for freedom and fair elections, about political prisoners, repression of the regime, and the crisis in the country;
– offered to support 246 Belarusian political prisoners: to take patronage over them, contact their families, write letters;
– called on Ukraine to support Belarus in OSCE, PACE, UN, as well as at other international platforms;
– expressed hope about further cooperation with the inter-factional group “For Democratic Belarus”.
At the online meeting, Tsikhanouskaya's representative Anatoly Liabedzka told about the “trial” of Belarusian bloggers Siarhei Petrukhin and Aliaksandr Kabanau. Anatoly came to support political prisoners at the trial in Mahilou, but neither relatives nor journalists were allowed to the meeting. As a result, the “trial” was postponed.
Sviatlana Tsikhanouskaya also spoke about the All Belarusian People's Assembly, emphasizing that Lukashenka speaks to the selected public from officials and ideologues of the regime but cannot do so in front of the Belarusian people.
The online meeting was attended by deputies Sergei Kalchenko, the Chairman of the Verkhovna Rada Committee on Foreign Policy and Inter-Parliamentary Cooperation Alexander Merezhko, Head of the Ukrainian Delegation to PACE Maria Mezentseva (“Servant of the People”), Alexandra Ustinova, Solomiya Bobrovskaya and Yulia Klimenko (“The Voice”), Larisa Bilozir (“For the Future”), Alexey Goncharenko, Sofia Fedina and Maxim Savrasov (“European Solidarity”), Oksana Savchuk (“Svoboda”).
Ukrainian politicians have expressed support for Belarusians in the struggle for freedom and democracy and said they are waiting to meet Sviatlana Tsikhanouskaya in Kyiv.
Sviatlana Tsikhanouskaya's speech:
“Dear friends!
I am honored to take part in this meeting. I want to thank our Ukrainian friends for the invitation to speak in front of the inter-factional group “For Democratic Belarus”.
Thank you very much for your support. Belarusians saw deputies hanging white-red-white flags in the Verkhovna Rada. Belarusians know about the solidarity actions that take place in different cities of Ukraine. Belarusians appreciate your decision not to recognize Aliaksandr Lukashenka as the legitimate president after the stolen elections in August 2020.
We also appreciate your assistance to those Belarusians who were forced to leave their country. For them, Ukraine became a second home.
Perhaps, you know, I myself am a native paliashuk, from the Belarusian Polesie. Ukraine has always been a close country for me. I know that if I start talking to you in Belarusian, you will understand me without any problems. Our history shows that Belarusians and Ukrainians are truly fraternal peoples.
When Ukrainians fought in the Revolution of Dignity, many Belarusians worried, hoped that you would succeed, and tried to help you. Mikhail Zhyzneusky was one of the first to die on the Maidan. Our two nations remember and honor his memory.
Today, Belarusians are fighting against dictatorship, violence, and arbitrariness of the security forces. Our demands are simple: the release of political prisoners, an end to regime violence, and free elections. I know that you, our Ukrainian friends, understand perfectly well why we are fighting for our human dignity, for our political and civil rights, for our right to have a choice. You understand our struggle for democracy and freedom and the price we pay.
Since the beginning of August, more than 32,000 people have been detained. Hundreds have been subjected to real torture. More than 14,000 were forced to leave the country. And 246 people are recognized as political prisoners. Among them are presidential candidates, activists, artists, business people, bankers, musicians, journalists, and bloggers.
Because of fear of losing power, Aliaksandr Lukashenka plunged an entire country into crisis and ruined relations with his neighbors. He jeopardizes the country's sovereignty by negotiating integration with Vladimir Putin. The former president treats Belarus as his personal collective farm. It destroys the economy and the IT sector, which is forced to flee the country.
Trade relations with other countries developed based on considerations of momentary benefits. I am sure Belarus and Ukraine are capable of doing more. Cooperation between our countries will be fruitful and long-term if it becomes a value and a priority for us.
I know that many Ukrainians have treated Lukashenka for a long time either neutrally or even positively. His propaganda succeeded in selling part of Ukrainian society the image of a strong businessman and fighter against corruption. In the last six months, he has shown his true face – he is not interested in anything but personal power. Trust and respect for him have collapsed everywhere, including in Ukraine. For a long time, when it comes to Belarus, the first thing people remember is Lukashenka. Indeed, for many years he did everything to remain the only politician and say, “The State is me.” But that time has passed.
And it's not that one of the candidates for president of Belarus or I took his place. The Belarusian people themselves declared their rights and determine the future of Belarus. The former president and his entourage still retain formal power, but they have lost confidence and are only defending themselves from Belarusians. This means that this regime is already in the past. And the future is the Belarusians themselves, who will always be Ukraine's closest neighbors and friends. I hope that we can not wait until the West or the East helps or prevents our countries from getting closer, but we will take a step towards each other.
Now Belarusians are solving a specific task – to stop terror in their country and hold fair elections. In the future, the Belarusian people themselves will determine the internal and foreign policy of Belarus. This applies to the form of government and our country's participation in any military-political and economic alliances. Now Belarusians are united by the demand of justice and legality, not geopolitical preferences. We do not choose between East and West, North or South, we are fighting for the freedom of Belarus. At the same time, any treaties and agreements of illegitimate authority will be reviewed, whether they're signed with Russia or anyone else.
I would also like to note that we support the independence and territorial integrity of Ukraine. Crimea is by law part of Ukraine, but for several years has been de facto controlled by Russia. In many ways, in the last six months, Belarusians have been living in a similar state, and now it has become easier for us to understand the problems of Ukrainians. By right, the former president lost the election, but his de facto regime still holds power illegally.
We ask you to support an independent democratic Belarus, call on Ukraine to support us in the OSCE, PACE, UN, as well as in other international platforms. And we hope that soon we will be able to meet with the leadership of Ukraine and discuss the neighboring future of our countries.
Žyvie Biełaruś!
Slava Ukraini!”.
