During her visit to Berlin, Sviatlana Tsikhanouskaya met with Bundestag Member Knut Abraham, who chairs the “For a Democratic Belarus” Parliamentary Group in Germany. Ms. Tsikhanouskaya was accompanied by her Advisor on Parliamentary Cooperation and Constitutional Reform, Anatoli Liabedzka; Chief Advisor, Franak Viacorka; Head of International Communications at Sviatlana Tsikhanouskaya’s Office, Karim Pedersen; and Kseniya Lutskina.
The discussions focused on a possible updated Bundestag resolution on Belarus, internship programs for young Belarusians, parliamentary cooperation, and support for Belarusians in Germany.
Issues discussed
- Updated resolution on Belarus. The participants discussed prospects for drafting and adopting a new Bundestag resolution that would reflect the current situation in Belarus.
- Internships for young Belarusians. The parties explored the possibility of reinstating the Bundestag internship program in 2027. Four young Belarusians have already completed such internships. According to Anatoli Liabedzka, repeating the program next year is entirely feasible.
- Cooperation within the International Alliance of Parliamentary Groups “For a Democratic Belarus”. The participants discussed the involvement of German Bundestag members in the Alliance’s upcoming meetings, scheduled for December in Oslo and June in Vilnius, which would allow them to share their experience working on Belarus-related issues.
- Establishing a “For a Democratic Belarus” group in the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe. The sides discussed efforts to establish such a group and the possibility of German parliamentarians joining it. Knut Abraham heads the Bundestag Delegation to PACE.
- Belarus Week in Strasbourg. Belarus Week is planned for April 2027. Two resolutions are expected to be adopted, alongside several events dedicated to Belarus.
- Stockholm Forum. The participants discussed the possibility of holding a forum in autumn 2027 involving the Alliance of Parliamentary Groups, Sviatlana Tsikhanouskaya’s Office, the Swedish Riksdag (Parliament), and PACE. The proposed forum would focus on the implementation of resolutions expected to be adopted during the April session.
The meeting also addressed the challenges Belarusians face in integrating into German society. According to Anatoli Liabedzka, despite the difficulties, Knut Abraham and his colleagues are open to further cooperation in this area.
