Scholarships for students, cooperation with civil initiatives, education reform in Belarus. Sviatlana Tsikhanouskaya met with new rector of European Humanities University
Today, Sviatlana Tsikhanouskaya met with the newly-appointed rector of the European Humanities University, Professor Krzysztof Rybiński. Representatives of Sviatlana Tsikhanouskaya's Office and the United Transitional Cabinet also attended the meeting. The discussions focused on: — Strengthening the role of the European Humanities University as a university working for the sake of democratic Belarus. This can […]
April 21, 2023
Anatoli Liabedzka: “The Lithuanian Seimas distinguishes the regime from the Belarusian people”
Today, the Lithuanian Seimas voted on the law on restrictive measures against citizens of Belarus and Russia. The vote overrode the veto of Lithuanian President Gitanas Nauseda and resulted in the adoption of the softer restrictions against Belarusians proposed by the Seimas. Sviatlana Tsikhanouskaya's Advisor Anatoli Liabedzka was present at the Seimas to observe the […]
April 20, 2023
Sviatlana Tsikhanouskaya: “The Lithuanian Seimas just voted for a bill with softer conditions for Belarusians”
Sviatlana Tsikhanouskaya: “The Lithuanian Seimas just voted for the bill with softer requirements imposed on Belarusians. 99 MPs voted for it, 7 against, and 2 abstained. Now the law will be adopted and the Lithuanian President is obliged to sign it. I thank all the MPs who supported us! We highly appreciate all the support […]
April 20, 2023
Sviatlana Tsikhanouskaya: “Belarusian culture is what makes us a nation”
Sviatlana Tsikhanouskaya: “Today is the International Day for Monuments and Sites. Countries around the globe honor their historical heritage by restoring and reconstructing ancient churches, castles, and buildings. Every country preserves its monuments that testify to its history and heroes. Unfortunately, it's not the case in today’s Belarus. The government preserves everything Soviet and Russian […]
April 18, 2023
Sviatlana Tsikhanouskaya’s comment on militarization of education in Belarus
Sviatlana Tsikhanouskaya: “The regime regularly takes our children to military units and prisons and brings weapons into schools and kindergartens. Children are forced to take notes on propaganda, read poems about 'fraternal peoples' and literally transcribe speeches by regime officials. And every children's event is attended by police officers and military personnel. What kind of […]
April 17, 2023
«Belarus’ anti-authoritarian movement and women’s rights: female activism in times of terror and war». A policy brief by Oxford Belarus Observatory
Oxford Belarus Observatory, in collaboration with the Research Centre of the Office of Sviatlana Tsikhanouskaya (OST) and the Institute for Global Sustainable Development (IGSD) of the University of Warwick, is compiling a series of Policy Briefs based on the discussions taking place in our jointly convened Expert Webinar series. We invite you to read the […]
April 16, 2023
Sviatlana Tsikhanouskaya congratulated Belarusians on Orthodox Easter
Sviatlana Tsikhanouskaya: “Like many Belarusians, I have fond memories of Easter from childhood. It is eggs, Easter cake, smiling grandparents, and the whole family gathered around a table. People usually discuss family-related things at this table, not nuclear weapons or war. But the war is near, and nuclear weapons may soon be deployed in Belarus. […]
April 16, 2023
Belarusians must be distinguished from the regime
Sviatlana Tsikhanouskaya: “Today the President of Lithuania vetoed the law that imposes restrictions on Russian and Belarusian nationals in Lithuania. From the very beginning, my team worked to protect the rights of Belarusians and make these restrictions less severe. We raised these issues with the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and the Ministry of the Interior […]
April 14, 2023
Soviet-style draft of students drags Belarus back into the past
Sviatlana Tsikhanouskaya: “The regime continues to pull Belarus into the past. Another official proposed an "innovation" in education: drafting students to the army during their studies, as was done in the Soviet Union. This is the only way the old men raised under the Soviet system see the country – as one not respecting an […]
April 13, 2023
Sviatlana Tsikhanouskaya’s speech for Days of Exile in Hamburg, 2023
You can watch Sviatlana Tsikhanouskaya's speech by the following link. Text of the Sviatlana Tsikhanouskaya's speech: “Dear friends, I am honored to be the patron for this year’s Days of Exile and I want to thank the Körber Foundation for inviting me to give the Speech on Exile at this important event. I would like to […]
April 12, 2023
Sviatlana Tsikhanouskaya: “Today Ivonka Survila, the leader of the Rada of the Belarusian Democratic Republic, celebrates her 87th birthday”
Sviatlana Tsikhanouskaya: “Today Ivonka Survila, the leader of the Rada of the Belarusian Democratic Republic (BNR), celebrates her 87th birthday. She embodies the historical continuity of Belarusian statehood from the founders of Belarusians’ first national state to the present day. But Ivonka Survila is not just the Rada of the BNR. She has devoted her […]
April 11, 2023
Support political prisoners and their families
Belarus keeps seeing new people arrested on political grounds every day. A raid on the town of Dziarzhynsk has led to at least 45 people being detained. Repression has reached an unprecedented level of absurdity – a Belarusian woman was arrested because her deceased husband had liked a post on social media, an entrepreneur was […]
April 10, 2023
Sviatlana Tsikhanouskaya’s comment on the regime’s attempts to rewrite Belarus’ history
Sviatlana Tsikhanouskaya: “The regime has been rewriting the history of our country for years. They have been erasing the names of our heroes and important events from textbooks and substituting facts by telling stories of a sweet life under Russian occupation. Instead of recognizing Belarusian Latin script as a historical and cultural value, the regime […]
April 08, 2023
Sviatlana Tsikhanouskaya: “Today, April 7, is World Health Day»
Sviatlana Tsikhanouskaya: “Today, April 7, is World Health Day. Every country wishes to have healthy citizens because they are the ones who work, bring benefits, and pay taxes instead of taking sick leaves. And what about healthcare in Belarus? I'm afraid you know perfectly well. Everyone remembers how the government called the coronavirus a “psychosis” […]
April 07, 2023
Diaspora conference is the platform for Belarusians abroad and political organizations to discuss pressing issues
The Second Conference of the Belarusian Diaspora, initiated by Sviatlana Tsikhanouskaya, will be held in Vilnius on April 22-23. It will feature representatives of organizations, communities, and initiatives of Belarusians abroad. The first conference of this format took place in September 2021 and brought together representatives of 40 Belarusian diaspora organizations from 26 countries. It […]
April 07, 2023
Sviatlana Tsikhanouskaya met with President of the Moldovan Parliament Igor Grosu
Sviatlana Tsikhanouskaya thanked the President for supporting democratic Belarus in Moldova, including his involvement in forming a group For Democratic Belarus in the Moldovan parliament, as well as for support at the Euronest Parliamentary Assembly session recently held in Chisinau. They discussed the current state of affairs in Belarus and Moldova, countering the Kremlin's propaganda, […]
April 05, 2023
Establishing a working group on migration and security issues. Sviatlana Tsikhanouskaya met with Lithuanian Minister of the Interior Agnė Bilotaitė
Sviatlana Tsikhanouskaya thanked the minister for hearing and accepting Belarusians' proposals for amendments to the draft law on restrictive measures in view of military aggression against Ukraine. Ms. Tsikhanouskaya expressed gratitude on behalf of Belarusians that the amended draft law significantly softened the restrictions against citizens of Belarus as compared to the original draft. She […]
April 05, 2023
Lithuanian Seimas adopted restrictive measures in view of military aggression against Ukraine in the second reading. What can change for Belarusians?
On April 4, the Seimas of Lithuania passed in the second reading the bill on restrictive measures in view of military aggression against Ukraine. Sviatlana Tsikhanouskaya's Advisor on Legal Issues Kristina Rikhter explained what might change for the citizens of Belarus. “The previous version of the bill imposed significant restrictions on Belarusians in obtaining visas, […]
April 04, 2023
Second Conference of the Belarusian diaspora initiated by Sviatlana Tsikhanouskaya’s Office will take place in Vilnius on April 22-23
This conference continues the efforts of bringing together representatives of the Belarusian diaspora and democratic forces on one platform to establish mutual cooperation. The conference will cover the following issues: the current political strategy of the Office, United Transitional Cabinet, and Coordination Council; support for the activities of diaspora organizations; joint efforts towards the national […]
April 01, 2023
Views in Washington on Belarus, the regime, and the nuclear threat. Sviatlana Tsikhanouskaya on her visit to the USA
– During the visit, the United States announced the launch of a strategic dialogue with democratic Belarus. This means by the end of this year, the democratic forces will formalize cooperation with the US government. Representatives of the Coordination Council and civil society of Belarus will be invited to the dialogue. The democratic forces will […]
March 31, 2023
Sviatlana Tsikhanouskaya addressed the Letter to the United Nations Security Council Regarding the Deployment of Russian Nuclear Forces on the Territory of Belarus
Head of the United Transitional Cabinet of Belarus, Leader of the Democratic Forces of Belarus Sviatlana Tsikhanouskaya addressed the Letter to the United Nations Security Council Regarding the Deployment of Russian Nuclear Forces on the Territory of Belarus. Text of the letter: “Mr. President, Distinguished members of the UN Security Council, I am writing to convey the […]
March 31, 2023
Digest of Sviatlana Tsikhanouskaya’s Office on Education and Science, March 2023
Please send information about everything related to education in Belarus to our secure and anonymous chatbot @eduOST_bot. Tell us the news from your educational institution or government department regarding repression and various forms of pressure from authorities, write to us about facts of corruption and new orders that seem unreasonable or irrational to you. We also […]
March 31, 2023
Sviatlana Tsikhanouskaya: “They won’t take away our memory”
Sviatlana Tsikhanouskaya: “Yesterday I got to attend the play “Dreams of Belarus.” It is still difficult to watch our stories while knowing many are not over yet. And nevertheless, we must record everything that happens to us so we do not repeat this horror in the future. I was particularly impressed when I heard the […]
March 31, 2023
Threat to the independence of Belarus must be reviewed by the UN Security Council and General Assembly
Today, Sviatlana Tsikhanouskaya greeted French Foreign Minister Catherine Colonna in her office in Vilnius. The meeting discussed holding the Lukashenka regime accountable so that its crimes do not go unpunished and it is brought to account for repressions against Belarusians and involvement in the war against Ukraine. Ms. Colonna and Ms. Tsikhanouskaya also discussed Putin’s […]
March 30, 2023
Sviatlana Tsikhanouskaya met with Natallia Pinchuk, wife of Nobel Prize laureate Ales Bialiatski
Sviatlana Tsikhanouskaya: “Today I had the honor to talk with Natallia Pinchuk. And this personal meeting yet again reassured me that Natallia is an incredibly courageous, brave woman with a kind heart. I know what it's like when your husband is behind bars and you are not sure how he is or how to help […]
March 30, 2023
Sviatlana Tsikhanouskaya met with PACE member appointed to prepare report on “Addressing the specific challenges faced by the Belarusians in exile”
Sviatlana Tsikhanouskaya met with Paul Galles, a member of the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe (PACE) appointed to prepare a report on “Addressing the specific challenges faced by the Belarusians in exile.” The meeting was yet another step in the systematic work to address the problems faced by Belarusians who had to leave […]
March 30, 2023
Sviatlana Tsikhanouskaya and Natallia Pinchuk’s speech at the Summit for Democracy 2023
At the invitation of President Biden, Sviatlana Tsikhanouskaya together with Natallia Pinchuk (wife of the Nobel Peace Prize laureate Ales Bialiatski) took part in the Summit for Democracy 2023, organized by the White House. Tsikhanouskaya and Pinchuk spoke before the speech of President Biden in the main program of the Summit. Full text of the speech: […]
March 29, 2023
Sviatlana Tsikhanouskaya on the arrest of Anatoli Liabedzka’s son
“Anatoli told me his son was detained in Belarus. He was detained only for being the son of his father. Sadly, I know well the pain of having your loved one behind bars for no reason. Stay strong, Anatoli”.
March 28, 2023
“Relations with hostile Russia must change”. Sviatlana Tsikhanouskaya’s speech at the US Senate Foreign Relations Committee hearing “U.S. Support of Democracy and Human Rights” in Washington DC, 2023
“Chairman Menendez, Ranking Member Risch, Distinguished members of the committee. Thank you for the opportunity to speak with you about the dire situation of democracy and human rights in Belarus and its implications for regional security and global interests. I will provide brief remarks while I would like to ask Chairman Menendez to accept my […]
March 28, 2023