Sviatlana Tsikhanouskaya’s speech for the Foreign Affairs Committee hearing of the Italian Parliament
“Dear members of the Foreign Affairs Committee, Signore e signori, It is a pleasure and an honor to speak in front of you today. This week, the world commemorated the 35th anniversary of the Chernobyl disaster. What happened at the Chernobyl nuclear plant was not only a technological and environmental disaster. First and foremost, it […]
April 29, 2021
Sviatlana Tsikhanouskaya is on a working visit to Austria. Results of the second day
Today, Austrian Chancellor Sebastian Kurz held a meeting with Sviatlana Tsikhanouskaya at the Federal Chancellery in Vienna – Ms. Tsikhanouskaya was greeted as the leader of Belarus, and the meeting took place in the format of a one-on-one. Ms. Tsikhanouskaya and Mr. Kurz discussed the implementation of the agreements of the last meeting in November and the current […]
April 28, 2021
Sviatlana Tsikhanouskaya made a call with the President of Poland Andrzej Duda
Ms. Tsikhanouskaya congratulated the President of Poland and the Polish people on one of the most important national holidays in the country – 3 May Constitution Day. Sviatlana Tsikhanouskaya stressed that the Belarusian people, who were part of the Commonwealth, were also proud of adopting the first European Constitution in 1791 and the second Constitution in […]
April 28, 2021
Sviatlana Tsikhanouskaya is on a working visit to Austria. Results of the first day
Sviatlana Tsikhanouskaya is on a working visit to Austria. Today, leader of democratic Belarus: – met with President Alexander Van der Bellen and discussed assistance for facilitating negotiations. – met with the Belarusian diaspora in Vienna; – spoke at the Austrian Parliament and the Diplomatic Academy of Vienna; – met with the leaders of the Austrian parties and spoke […]
April 27, 2021
Sviatlana Tsikhanouskaya met with the President of Austria Alexander Van der Bellen
Sviatlana Tsikhanouskaya is on a working visit to Austria. Ms. Tsikhanouskaya met with the President of Austria Alexander Van der Bellen today. During the meeting, Sviatlana Tsikhanouskaya and Alexander Van der Bellen: – discussed the escalation of repressions and fractures in current Belarusian elites, as well as the situation with political prisoners. Ms. Tsikhanouskaya told that on […]
April 27, 2021
Sviatlana Tsikhanouskaya met with the heads of OSCE missions
Today, Sviatlana Tsikhanouskaya met with Ambassadors of missions of Germany, France, Great Britain, United States, Sweden, Estonia, Lithuania, Latvia, Czech Republic, and Poland to OSCE. All of them supported the Moscow Mechanism. During the meeting, Sviatlana Tsikhanouskaya: – spoke about the situation with political prisoners in Belarus and the inhumane conditions of detention and imprisonment […]
April 26, 2021
Sviatlana Tsikhanouskaya will make an official visit to Austria and Italy
This week Sviatlana Tsikhanouskaya is going to visit Austria (26-28 April) and Italy (29-30 April). In Vienna, meetings with Chancellor Sebastian Kurtz are planned to discuss ways of overcoming the crisis in Belarus and possible Austrian mediation in the organization of a dialogue. Sviatlana Tsikhanouskaya will meet Austrian President Alexander van Der Bellen for the first time. Also, […]
April 26, 2021
Sviatlana Tsikhanouskaya held a call with Svetlana Alexievich
Today Sviatlana Tsikhanouskaya called Svetlana Alexievich, the author of «Chernobyl prayer» and the only Belarusian writer who received the Nobel Prize. Ms. Tsikhanouskaya discussed with Ms. Alexievich the anniversary of the Chernobyl disaster and the current situation in Belarus, which could be described as political Chernobyl. Much has been said about aid to repressed Belarusians, mass […]
April 26, 2021
Sviatlana Tsikhanouskaya will visit Austria
On April 26-28, Ms. Tsikhanouskaya will visit Austria, where she will meet with President Alexander Van der Bellen, Chancellor Sebastian Kurz, Foreign Minister Alexander Schallenberg, and heads of missions to the OSCE. She will discuss the organization of negotiations to peacefully resolve the crisis in Belarus, support for democracy and independence of Belarus, forcing the […]
April 24, 2021
Foreign Minister of Greece supported Tsikhanouskaya’s call for dialogue and invited her to Athens
Sviatlana Tsikhanouskaya had a call with the Foreign Minister of Greece, Nikos Dendias. This is their second meeting – the first was held last autumn in Bratislava. During the call: – they discussed the escalation of repression in Belarus, the need to support civil society, and international pressure on the regime; – Ms. Tsikhanouskaya stressed the principled […]
April 22, 2021
Sviatlana Tsikhanouskaya visited Basilian Gates and the Gate of Dawn with Ambassadors of the US, Poland, Lithuania and Deputy Foreign Minister of Lithuania
Sviatlana Tsikhanouskaya, along with US Ambassador to Belarus Julie Fisher, Polish Ambassador to Belarus Artur Michalski, Lithuanian Ambassador to Belarus Andrius Pulokas, Deputy Foreign Minister of Lithuania Mantas Adomėnas visited Basilian Gates. They entered the Greek-Catholic Church of the Holy Trinity and visited Konrad’s cell. It is also known as the Adam Mickiewicz cell, where […]
April 21, 2021
Ms. Tsikhanouskaya and US, Polish, Lithuanian, Ukrainian diplomats commemorated victims of Chernobyl
Sviatlana Tsikhanouskaya, along with US Ambassador to Belarus Julie Fisher, Polish Ambassador to Belarus Artur Michalski, Lithuanian Ambassador to Belarus Andrius Pulokas, and Ukrainian Embassy Third Secretary Dmytro Serov laid flowers to the monument “Mother Chernobyl” in Vilnius. This gesture is timed to coincide with the 35th anniversary of the Chernobyl disaster on 26 April.
April 21, 2021
Sviatlana Tsikhanouskaya met with the Ambassador of Poland to Belarus
Today Sviatlana Tsikhanouskaya held a meeting with the Ambassador of Poland to Belarus Artur Michalski. Since October, the Ambassador has been working outside Belarus because of the demand of the Belarusian authorities to reduce the number of employees of Polish and Lithuanian diplomatic missions. During the meeting, Ms. Tsikhanouskaya and Mr. Michalski discussed: – the […]
April 20, 2021
Sviatlana Tsikhanouskaya’s Speech at the Euronest Parliamentary Assembly
“Dear ladies and gentlemen, I am honored to speak at the Euronest Parliamentary Assembly on behalf of the democratic forces of Belarus. You are legitimate representatives of the citizens of the EU Member States and EU partner countries. Unfortunately, the Belarusian parliament and government do not have any legitimacy to represent the people of Belarus […]
April 20, 2021
Санкцыі ЗША супраць «Белнафтахіму» і яшчэ 8 беларускіх дзяржпрадпрыемстваў ужо набылі моц
Сёння, 19 красавіка, санкцыі ЗША супраць «Белнафтахіму» і яшчэ 8 беларускіх дзяржпрадпрыемстваў ужо набылі моц. Цяпер на працягу 45 дзён міжнародныя кампаніі павінны скасаваць супрацоўніцтва з гэтымі прадпрыемствамі, якія падтрымліваюць рэжым. Якія яшчэ санкцыі ўжо працуюць у дачыненні да рэжыму? Санкцыі – гэта інструмент ціску, які ў сукупнасці з перамовамі можа прывесці да вырашэння крызісу ў […]
April 19, 2021
Julie Fisher to Tsikhanouskaya: the USA renews sanctions against “Belneftekhim„ and 8 other Belarusian state enterprises
Today, April 19, Sviatlana Tsikhanovskaya had a meeting with the US Ambassador to Belarus Julie Fisher. Ms. Fisher informed Ms. Tsikhanouskaya that the U.S. Department of the Treasury is renewing sanctions against nine Belarusian state enterprises. In 45 days, cooperation with these enterprises must be stopped. Sanctions are imposed because of the systematic violation of human rights in Belarus. The United […]
April 19, 2021
Sviatlana Tsikhanouskaya had a call with the Secretary General of the Council of Europe
Today Sviatlana Tsikhanouskaya had a call with the Council of Europe General Secretary Marija Pejčinović Burić. Ms. Tsikhanouskaya's Advisor Alexander Dabravolsky, Head of the Cabinet of Representatives Valery Kavaleuski, and Special Representative for elections Aliaksandr Shlyk joined the call. This week, the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe will adopt two resolutions on Belarus. On […]
April 19, 2021
Sviatlana Tsikhanouskaya: Ukraine is not just our neighbor
Sviatlana Tsikhanouskaya reacted on her Twitter page to the statement of the President of Ukraine, Volodymyr Zelenskyy, on Belarus. “Today I was glad to hear from Volodymyr Zelenskyy that Belarusians understand Ukraine and deserve a better future. We also feel that Ukrainians understand and support Belarusians. Ukraine is not just our neighbor. We are united by the struggle […]
April 16, 2021
Sviatlana Tsikhanouskaya’s Speech at the Polish Economic Forum
“Ladies and gentlemen, It is an honor for me to be addressing the present and future political and business leaders of Poland. Belarusians are grateful to have Poland as a friend and neighbor. You have been kind and generous to accept the many fleeing citizens of Belarus. Those people had to leave the country because […]
April 14, 2021
Sviatlana Tsikhanouskaya called on Global Unions to protect Belarusian workers
Sviatlana sent a letter to the Council of Global Unions and International Trade Union Confederation, calling on them to protect the rights of workers in Belarus: “Mr. David Edwards Chair of the Council of Global Unions Ms. Sharan Burrow General Secretary, International Trade Union Confederation Dear Mr. Edwards, dear Ms. Burrow, First of all, I […]
April 09, 2021
Sviatlana Tsikhanouskaya suggested that Norway and Estonia initiate new hearings on Belarus in the UN Security Council
Today, Sviatlana Tsikhanouskaya held an online meeting with the ambassadors of nine countries on the topic of the upcoming negotiations for a peaceful solution to the crisis. Ms. Tsikhanouskaya spoke with the ambassadors of Norway, Sweden, Finland, Denmark, Iceland, Ireland, the Netherlands, Estonia, Latvia, and Canada. During the meeting Sviatlana Tsikhanouskaya: – stressed that it is […]
April 08, 2021
Sviatlana Tsikhanouskaya met with Spanish Foreign Minister Arancha González Laya
Today in Vilnius Sviatlana Tsikhanouskaya met with Spanish Foreign Minister Arancha González Laya. Ms. Tsikhanouskaya and Ms. González Laya already met at the end of last year during the working visit of the democratic leader of Belarus to Spain. At the meeting Sviatlana Tsikhanouskaya: – thanked Spain for its support and solidarity, for the Spanish […]
April 07, 2021
Office of Sviatlana Tsikhanouskaya presented scenarios and formats of negotiations with the regime
The Office of Sviatlana Tsikhanouskaya supports the establishment of direct contact with the authorities in Belarus to develop the mechanisms for resolving the ongoing political crisis. Below are potential steps and formats of consultations and negotiations. 1. Preliminary consultations We are ready to participate in such consultations without preconditions. We believe that the understanding of […]
April 06, 2021
Volunteers of Sviatlana Tsikhanouskaya’s Office launched the “Spotlight of the Regions” initiative
Volunteers of Sviatlana Tsikhanouskaya’s Office launched a Telegram chatbot @bel2020_bot to collect as much information about real life in the regions of Belarus. Belarusians can send any information related to their town or village. It can be anything they consider important, for instance: – experiencing mass layoffs at your workplace; – information about an enterprise […]
April 03, 2021
Sviatlana Tsikhanouskaya calls to support the Coordination Council for inclusive dialogue in Belarus
More than 760 000 Belarusians supported the initiative of Sviatlana Tsikhanouskaya to organize negotiations with international mediation to peacefully resolve the crisis in Belarus. The leader of democratic Belarus calls on the international community to support the Coordination Council created for a peaceful transition. “All Coordination Council members and all the political prisoners must be released […]
April 03, 2021
Sviatlana Tsikhanouskaya: “Today I am wrapping up the results of the first stage of preparation for the negotiations and announcing the second stage”
Sviatlana Tsikhanouskaya: “Today, I am wrapping up the results of the first stage of preparation for the negotiations and announcing the second stage. In less than two weeks, we have received more than 760 000 votes in favor of a peaceful solution to the crisis through negotiations. We have gotten our voice back, and everyone’s […]
April 01, 2021
Sanctions, negotiations, and a new election: Sviatlana Tsikhanouskaya addressed the Senate of the Republic of Poland
Today, the Senate of the Republic of Poland hosted a conference dedicated to solving the crisis in Belarus, the organization of the negotiations with the regime, and a new free and fair election. The participants discussed how to force the regime to negotiations, as well as how to involve Russia in the discussion of the […]
March 30, 2021
Sviatlana Tsikhanouskaya Speech at 7th Annual Justice Stephen Breyer Lecture on International Law
Listen to the audio of the seventh annual Justice Stephen Breyer Lecture on International Law here. Standing up for Democracy Worldwide—But How? “Thank you for this kind introduction. Before I turn to my remarks, I would like to wish happy Passover to Jewish People around the world. This is a true inspiration for those seeking […]
March 26, 2021
Chair Conclusions of the Second Kalinowski Forum
Chair Conclusions of the Second International Kalinauskas Conference (Kalinauskas / Каліно́ўскі / Kalinowski Forum) Vilnius, 22 March 2021 Organisers and participants of Kalinauskas Forum after debating with participants the support to Belarusian freedom, free and democratic elections in 2021 and the Summit of Democracies conclude: We acknowledge exceptional determination and steadfastness of Belarusian society for […]
March 23, 2021