The Coordination Council of the second and third convocations held its first general meeting today. The Belarusian leader opened it with a speech, in which she outlined the key expectations from the Coordination Council and named the priorities for its members:
“Dear friends,
Let me congratulate you on your election to the new Coordination Council. Once again, I would like to express my sincere gratitude to everyone who decided to take part in the election – both those who nominated themselves and those who voted.
Let me especially thank the people who, even without becoming part of the Coordination Council, pledged to continue their work. During the calls last week, no one said, “Thanks, it’s time for me to leave”. On the contrary, they asked, “How else can I help?”
Let me thank the Election Commission and its Chairwoman, Alena Prykhodzka. I know that difficult or unpopular decisions had to be made, but this was the first attempt by the democratic forces to organize an election campaign, and in general, it seems to have succeeded.
Let me thank Pavel Liber who developed the voting platform in no time, and despite all the obstacles the regime tried to create, it worked well and people could vote safely. Pavel created an absolutely innovative product that we will need in the future.
Thank you to all the teams for your election campaigns. I regret that so little time was devoted to the campaign itself, because the contest of ideas that we have seen over the course of the month has shown how vivid and diverse our democratic movement is.
Thanks to Pavel Latushka and the movement “Za Svabodu” (For Freedom) for a brilliant campaign. I never cease to admire how you work with the audience and the media. Thanks to Roza, whom I saw in a completely new image, as a determined and emotional politician. Thank you to Liza Prakopchyk, Marho, Alana, Hanna, and the entire “Moladzevy Nastup” (Youth to the Front) team for reviving young Belarusians’ interest in politics and protecting their interests.
Thanks to Valer Matskevich, Alina Koushyk, and “Eurapeyski Vybar” (European Choice) for using the campaign to promote the idea of European integration among Belarusians.
I am glad to see new faces in the Coordination Council – Aliaksadra Klachko and Siarhei Piatrukhin, Maksim Shabutski and Siarhei Biaspalau, Tatsiana Martynava and Ales Mikhalevich. I am glad that Vadzim Prakopyeu will finally have the opportunity to implement his ideas in the Coordination Council, and I hope that all the disagreements will fade into the background.
I am glad that Belarusians from different countries, of different ages and professions got into the new Coordination Council: from volunteer fighters and entrepreneurs to professors and bloggers, from youth activists to experienced politicians. The new composition of the Coordination Council is more inclusive and I hope will be effective in its work.
Many are concerned about the low turnout in the elections. But as one of the newly elected delegates said: “If our activities make an impact on a million Belarusians, we will become an important body for these people”. It all depends on your work.
I would like the Coordination Council to become a platform not only for coordination but also for the consolidation of democratic forces. For this, decisions must be made openly and transparently. I do not doubt that there will be disputes and heated ones – we can’t avoid them. Sometimes we will have to look for compromises, sometimes to give in. But that’s how democracy works. What matters is that in the end, we remember that we share the same goal – a free and democratic Belarus.
Therefore, let’s focus on what unites us, not what divides us. It is not opponents who gathered here. It is like-minded people. We may have different views on tactical issues like sanctions, or ways to achieve goals like the release of political prisoners. Please, maintain respect and trust for each other. It is impossible to build cooperation without trust.
We must act together. The Coordination Council is an integral part of the democratic forces, a platform where politicians and civil society meet to develop common positions and recommendations.
I expect the Coordination Council to hold hearings on the most important issues and involve other civil society organizations in its work. You can send your recommendations to the United Transitional Cabinet and be the voice of those Belarusians who voted for you.
In March, at a joint meeting of the Coordination Council, the United Transitional Cabinet, and Sviatlana Tsikhanouskaya’s Office, we agreed to develop a protocol for interaction between our structures. A joint working group has already prepared a draft document. Therefore, it will soon be presented to you, the Cabinet, and the Office for consideration. I hope that this document will become a kind of “little constitution” of our democratic movement.
I will also be glad to hear your suggestions and nominations for representatives of the Cabinet. You can send proposals both from factions and individually.
I invite all the delegates of the Coordination Council to take part in the New Belarus Conference, which will be held on August 3-4 in Vilnius. I invite you and your factions to present your teams’ plans and priorities. This is a good opportunity to find like-minded people and partners for their implementation.
I know that in the coming days, you will discuss the priorities of the Coordination Council’s work, elect a speaker, and form commissions. Perhaps a majority coalition will appear, and so there will also be opposition. But I am asking you to make sure that the voice of each and every delegate is heard, regardless of what their views are or how big their faction is.
Dear friends,
Today I was asked to outline the areas in which I count on the help and participation of the Coordination Council.
First, we have to address the issue of political prisoners, which is the most painful one. I invite the Coordination Council to form a commission on this issue, which could include representatives of various groups and initiatives, not only from the Coordination Council. With the Coordination Council, we could organize and mobilize help for the repressed and discuss ways to achieve their release.
Second, we have to focus our activities on the people within the country. When abroad for a long time, we might be tempted to work only with the diaspora or only with international partners. But let’s not forget that millions of Belarusians inside the country are waiting for our help. We need to maintain connections with organizations and initiatives on the ground, include them in our projects. Unfortunately, the opportunities for work inside the country are now very limited, and the risks are great – but there are digital tools that we do not use to the full.
During the campaign, we often said and heard: “We cannot allow an Iron Curtain between Belarus and the European Union”. I think this can be a common priority for democratic forces. We can and should defend visas and scholarships for Belarusians and build contacts between those who left and those who stayed.
Third, we need to develop our international work. The International Commission of the Coordinating Council could work with the United Transitional Cabinet and the Office in developing a strategy for international affairs and interparliamentary cooperation. I hope that the representatives of the new Coordination Council will join the work of the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe, the Consultative Group with the European Union, and the Strategic Dialogue with the USA.
We need to continue the pressure on the Lukashenka regime, bring the perpetrators to justice, and strengthen the agency of democratic Belarus in the international arena.
Fourth, we need to consolidate Belarusians in exile and work with the diaspora. To strengthen ties between Belarusians in different countries. International campaigns and solidarity rallies could take place under the auspices of the Coordination Council. We need to engage the Belarusian diaspora in the activities of the democratic forces. Dozens of successful initiatives of Belarusians abroad like People’s Embassies, “Razam”, “Talaka”, Association of Belarusian Businesses Abroad, or “Supolka” can become part of this movement.
Fifth, we have to support Ukraine and our volunteer fighters. We need to organize systematic work with Ukraine, solve the problems of the Belarusian diaspora, and help the Kastus Kalinouski Regiment and other soldiers, as well as veterans. This is a large-scale priority, and the efforts of the Office or the Cabinet alone will not be enough to address it.
Sixth, the Coordination Council could work on the vision of the new Belarus and develop reform projects. So that Belarusians can feel and understand what kind of Belarus the democratic forces are proposing, and how it will differ from Lukashenka’s Belarus.
I hope that the Coordination Council will have commissions on youth and education, social issues, and culture. Strengthening national identity is our common priority. Next week will mark 100 years since Vasyl Bykau was born, and I invite all members of the Coordination Council to join the thematic events.
The year 2025 is ahead, when the regime will once again try to “turn over the page” and hold a fake election. In the coming weeks, I invite you to join us in developing a joint 2025 action strategy for the democratic forces for us all to discuss at the conference in August.
Finally, let me thank you for your support over the past years and your willingness to continue working together. I really appreciate it. Please know that you can count on me too.
Together we will definitely succeed.
Long Live Belarus!”
