February 03, 2023
Support for artists and cultural initiatives: Sviatlana Tsikhanouskaya and Alina Koushyk met with the Belarusian Council for Culture
On February 2, Sviatlana Tsikhanouskayaya and United Transitional Cabinet Representative for National Revival Alina Koushyk met with the heads of the Belarusian Council for Culture Siarhei Budkin and Ales Chakhouski. The meeting took place at Sviatlana Tsikhanouskayaya's Office in Vilnius. The Belarusian Council for Culture spoke about the results of its work in 2022. Throughout […]
February 03, 2023
The Council of Europe launched an action plan to support Belarus’ democratic forces and civil society in 2023
The Contact Group on Belarus was established within the Council of Europe by the resolution of the CoE Committee of Ministers on September 7, 2022. The Group comprises representatives of the democratic forces and civil society of Belarus, as well as representatives of the Council of Europe. The Contact Group held its meetings on November […]
February 02, 2023
Sviatlana Tsikhanouskaya: “Today we celebrate the birthday of Kastus Kalinowski”
Sviatlana Tsikhanouskaya: “Today is the birthday of Kastus Kalinowski. He sacrificed his life so that the Belarusians could have an independent state, determine their own fate, and decide their way of life. But Kalinowski was not the one who started this struggle – he continued what other outstanding Belarusians did before him. And although Belarus […]
February 01, 2023
Sviatlana Tsikhanouskaya’s speech at the Committee of Ministers of the Council of Europe on the outcomes of the 2nd meeting of CoE – Belarus Contact Group, 2023
“Madam President, Madam Secretary General, Excellencies, Ladies and Gentlemen, It is my pleasure to speak to you again. We have progressed considerably since we discussed the idea of establishing a Council of Europe Contact Group with Belarus. I am grateful for your decision from 7 September, and for the dedication of the Council of Europe […]
February 01, 2023
Sviatlana Tsikhanouskaya commented on the new “trial” against Siarhei Tsikhanouski
“When one does not obey, is not afraid, does not turn into mediocrity or hide behind others’ backs, he viciously violates the regime’s prison rules. This is the reason they are going to put my husband on trial yet another time. Perhaps they really think they can tame him this way and turn him into […]
January 31, 2023
The US will appoint a Belarus special envoy: Sviatlana Tsikhanouskaya met with the Deputy Assistant Secretary of State Robin Dunnigan
The meeting was held on January 30 in Sviatlana Tsikhanouskaya’s Office premises in Vilnius and was also attended by the United Transitional Cabinet Representative for Foreign Affairs and the Office’s Foreign Policy Department, as well as members of the US diplomatic mission. Sviatlana Tsikhanouskaya spoke about the situation of political prisoners, prison conditions, recent trials, […]
January 30, 2023
Sviatlana Tsikhanouskaya: “Today, Eduard Babaryka spends his third birthday in detention”
Sviatlana Tsikhanouskaya: “Today, Eduard Babaryka spends his third birthday in detention, at the detention center on Valadarskaha street in Minsk. You know, I think the trumped-up case against Eduard reflects well the essence of the repressive machine in Belarus. Eduard has been kept hostage for almost 1000 days just because he is the son of […]
January 27, 2023
Sviatlana Tsikhanouskayaya: “Today we all heard that a Belarusian volunteer, Eduard Lobau, died in the war in Ukraine”
Sviatlana Tsikhanouskaya: “Today we all heard that a Belarusian volunteer, Eduard Lobau, died in the war in Ukraine. He was really an outstanding Belarusian. He defended Belarus, which was the reason why the regime made him a political prisoner back in 2010. He served his entire term in one of the worst prisons in Belarus […]
January 27, 2023
Facilitating visas and residence permits, supporting Belarusian initiatives: Sviatlana Tsikhanouskaya’s Advisor Kristina Rikhter addressed the PACE Migration Committee
The PACE Committee on Migration, Refugees and Displaced Persons has appointed special rapporteur Paul Galles to prepare a report on “Addressing the specific challenges faced by the Belarusians in exile”. This report is a chance to investigate the real situation of Belarusians in exile, as well as address recommendations to Council of Europe member states (including […]
January 27, 2023
Sviatlana Tsikhanouskaya addressed the Croatian Parliament and met with its Speaker, the Croatian academic community, and Belarusian diaspora
Sviatlana Tsikhanouskaya thanked Parliament Speaker Gordan Jandroković for not recognizing Lukashenka as president and spoke about the latest trials of rail partisans, TUT.by journalists, as well as trials in absentia of the Coordination Council and exiled athletes. At a meeting with the Foreign Affairs Committee of the Croatian Parliament, Sviatlana Tsikhanouskaya invited MPs to take […]
January 27, 2023
Sviatlana Tsikhanouskaya’s speech at the Faculty of Political Sciences of Zagreb University in Croatia, 2023
“Dear friends, Dear students, Dear Mr. Karlo Kolesar, Dear Mr. Ivica Miškulin, I’m very grateful to the Croatian Academic Union for the opportunity to address you today. Let me also thank to you, my dear students, for coming to talk to me instead of spending time with your friends. I'm not sure that in my […]
January 26, 2023
Sviatlana Tsikhanouskaya: “On this day 33 years ago, Belarusian became the state language”
Sviatlana Tsikhanouskaya: “On this day 33 years ago, Belarusian became the state language. It happened even before the collapse of the Soviet empire and became a significant step toward our independence. All laws, codes, and state documents were written in Belarusian. At schools, not only the history of Belarus, but also mathematics, physics, and chemistry […]
January 26, 2023
Sviatlana Tsikhanouskaya’s speech at the press briefing with Minister of Foreign and European Affairs of the Republic of Croatia Gordan Grlić Radman in Zagreb, 2023
“I am grateful to Minister Grlic-Radman for today's meeting and for the warm welcome here in Croatia. I thanked the minister for his active support of democratic Belarus in the European Union, the Council of Europe and the OSCE. I also thanked the minister for the support that Croatia provides to Ukraine. Croatia's support is extremely […]
January 26, 2023
Sviatlana Tsikhanouskaya will visit Croatia for the first time on January 26-27
Sviatlana Tsikhanouskaya will meet with Foreign Minister Gordan Grlić-Radman, Prime Minister Andrej Plenković, Parliament Speaker Gordan Jandroković and Chairperson of the Foreign Affairs Committee of the Croatian Parliament. Ms. Tsikhanouskaya will also participate in a flower-laying ceremony at the Monument to the Homeland and speak at the Croatian Academic Union. The meetings will focus on Croatia's […]
January 25, 2023
Sviatlana Tsikhanouskaya, Pavel Latushka, and Polish Foreign Minister discussed forming an international coalition For Free and Democratic Belarus
Sviatlana Tsikhanouskaya and the United Transitional Cabinet Representative for the Transit of Power Pavel Latushka met today with Foreign Minister Zbigniew Rau at the Polish Ministry of Foreign Affairs. Ms. Tsikhanouskaya invited the Minister to form an international coalition in support of a democratic and independent Belarus and develop a hands-on strategy for resolving the […]
January 25, 2023
Sviatlana Tsikhanouskaya, Pavel Latushka, Aleś Alaсhnovič, and Franak Viacorka discussed the problems of Belarusian businesses with the Polish Finance Minister
Along with Sviatlana Tsikhanouskaya, the Belarusian side at the meeting was represented by Pavel Latushka, United Transitional Cabinet Deputy Head and Representative for the Transit of Power, Aleś Alaсhnovič, Sviatlana Tsikhanouskaya’s Advisor on Economic Reforms, and Franak Viacorka, Ms. Tsikhanouskaya’s Chief Advisor. Sviatlana Tsikhanouskaya thanked Minister Magdalena Rzeczkowska for supporting Belarusian businesses and noted the […]
January 25, 2023
Sviatlana Tsikhanouskaya, Pavel Latushka, Alina Koushyk, and Franak Viacorka met with Polish Education Minister Przemysław Czarnek
Sviatlana Tsikhanouskaya thanked Poland for recognizing Belarusian diplomas, despite the denunciation of the relevant treaty by the regime. Alina Koushyk mentioned that 26 thousand Belarusian children are currently studying in Poland. The parties discussed organizational and financial assistance to establish networks of Belarusian weekend schools with an additional component teaching Belarusian language, culture, history, and […]
January 25, 2023
Sviatlana Tsikhanouskaya attended the opening of the exhibition about Andrzej Poczobut
Members of the Polish Parliament, representatives of the government, the Belsat TV channel, independent media, and Belarusian NGOs working in Poland took part in the event. Sviatlana Tsikhanouskaya’s speech: “Dear Friends, Thank you for organizing this exhibition. The peoples of Belarus and Poland are united by our common history, culture, as well as common heroes. […]
January 25, 2023
Sviatlana Tsikhanouskaya and United Transitional Cabinet representatives met with the Polish Sejm Speaker
This is the third meeting between Polish Sejm Marshal Elżbieta Witek and Sviatlana Tsikhanouskaya. United Transitional Cabinet representatives Pavel Latushka, Alina Koushyk, Valery Kavaleuski, Aliaksandr Azarau, Ms. Tsikhanouskaya's Chief Advisor Franak Viacorka and Advisor for Interparliamentary Cooperation Anatoli Liabiedzka joined the meeting along with Ms. Tsikhanouskaya. The Speaker assured Sviatlana Tsikhanouskaya of Poland’s unequivocal support […]
January 24, 2023
Sviatlana Tsikhanouskaya addressed Belarusians considering returning to Belarus: “Take care of your safety”
“The regime's desire to bring people back to the country is understandable. The numbers that Lukashenka names (“fifteen hundred or two thousand people”) are significantly understated because, in fact, hundreds of thousands of people have been forced to leave Belarus. These are specialists in various fields, whose absence hinders the proper functioning of the economy. […]
January 24, 2023
Sviatlana Tsikhanouskaya and United Transitional Cabinet representatives met with Polish Interior Minister Mariusz Kamiński
The meeting was attended by the Polish Undersecretary of State Bartosz Grodecki, as well as, from the Belarusian side, the Deputy Head of the United Transitional Cabinet and Representative for the Transit of Power Pavel Latushka, Deputy Head of the United Transitional Cabinet and Representative for Foreign Affairs Valery Kavaleuski, and Representative for Defense and […]
January 23, 2023
Sviatlana Tsikhanouskaya met with Polish and Lithuanian presidents in Warsaw
Sviatlana Tsikhanouskaya met with Polish President Andrzej Duda and Lithuanian President Gitanas Nausėda. The meeting took place in Warsaw after the solemn ceremony marking the anniversary of the 1863 Uprising of Kastus Kalinowski. The role of national identity was discussed in the meeting. Sviatlana Tsikhanouskaya spoke about the significance of Kalinowski for the people and […]
January 23, 2023
Sviatlana Tsikhanouskaya will have a working visit to Warsaw on January 23-25
Sviatlana Tsikhanouskaya will hold a working meeting with the United Transitional Cabinet to discuss the situation of political prisoners, potential involvement of Belarusian troops in the war, and further pressure on the regime. Meetings are planned with representatives of the Polish government: the Minister of the Interior, Minister of Foreign Affairs, Minister of Finance, Minister […]
January 22, 2023
“We cannot and have no right to stop fighting for our home”. Sviatlana Tsikhanouskaya’s speech on the anniversary of the uprising of 1863, Vilnius
“Dear President Gitanas Nauseda, Ambassador Urszula Doroszewska, Ambassador Petro Beshta, Dear ambassadors, guests, Dear friends, It is an honor for me to speak before you today. The uprising of 1863 unites Lithuania, Poland, Ukraine and Belarus. Our peoples refused to live under the oppression of the occupiers and stood up for their land and their […]
January 21, 2023
Sviatlana Tsikhanouskaya met with the Corporate Vice President of Microsoft
Sviatlana Tsikhanouskaya met in Davos with Teresa Hutson, the Vice President of Microsoft’s Technology and Corporate Responsibility Group who oversees the company’s Democracy Forward Program. The Program has provided assistance and software to several Belarusian media outlets and journalists. They discussed: – free subscriptions to Microsoft products for independent media (Teams, MS Office); – security […]
January 21, 2023
Support for Belarusian civil initiatives and the repressed: Sviatlana Tsikhanouskaya met with the Minister of Foreign Affairs of the Netherlands
Sviatlana Tsikhanouskaya told the Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs of the Netherlands Wopke Hoekstra about the issues regarding legality of stay that Belarusians face in Europe as they are repressed and cannot count on assistance from their own state. Ms. Tsikhanouskaya noted that consultations are underway on EU travel documents for Belarusians. […]
January 20, 2023
Sviatlana Tsikhanouskaya met with former British Prime Minister Tony Blair and discussed potential negotiations on the release of political prisoners
During the Davos Forum, Sviatlana Tsikhanouskaya met with former British Prime Minister Tony Blair. She spoke about the escalation of repression and conveyed to the former PM her vision of possible scenarios for negotiations on the release of political prisoners in Belarus. She noted that the political prisoners are hostages of the regime and their […]
January 20, 2023
Sviatlana Tsikhanouskaya joined the Ukrainian events at the WEF in Davos
Within the World Economic Forum in Davos, the national delegations organize a number of meetings and events devoted to their countries. This year the Ukrainian delegation was represented by the President’s Office, the Verkhovna Rada, politicians, and entrepreneurs. At the invitation of Ukrainians, the Belarusian leader joined several Ukrainian meetings and events, where she had […]
January 20, 2023
Sviatlana Tsikhanouskaya urged the Prime Minister of Ireland to bring visa-free travel back for Belarusians
During the forum in Davos, Sviatlana Tsikhanouskaya met with the Prime Minister of Ireland Leo Varadkar. She thanked him for Ireland’s support for Belarusian human rights defenders and independent media. Ireland provides financial support for a major Belarusian media outlet and the International Accountability Platform for Belarus, which gathers evidence of Lukashenka's crimes. Ireland’s Prime […]