During her working visit to Sofia, the Belarusian leader met with the Prime Minister of Bulgaria. Nikolai Denkov expressed hope for close cooperation between the country and the democratic forces of Belarus.
With her visit, Ms. Tsikhanouskaya aims to restore the relations that have been destroyed by the Lukashenka regime. Sviatlana Tsikhanouskaya invited Bulgaria to join the group “For a Democratic Belarus” in the OSCE, as well as support the work of the Contact Group in the Council of Europe.
The dialogue focused on the Russian threat to the independence of Belarus and the regime’s involvement in the war. The parties also discussed ways to hold the regime accountable. Ms. Tsikhanouskaya mentioned the evidence of its crimes gathered by the National Anti-Crisis Management that was submitted to the UN last week.
The Belarusian leader emphasized the issue of political prisoners and called for urgent steps to secure their release, especially of those with serious health issues and those held incommunicado.
The parties also discussed pressure on the regime and ways to make it more effective without isolating Belarusians. Sviatlana Tsikhanouskaya called for continued issuance of visas and support for those fleeing repression. In addition, the leader spoke about the new Belarusian passport project and expressed hope for Bulgaria’s support.
