VISIT TO STRASBOURG. As part of her visit to Strasbourg, Sviatlana Tsikhanouskaya participated in the meeting of the Committee of Ministers of the Council of Europe, which was attended by leaders and representatives from 45 countries. She delivered a speech, calling for support for civil society, media, human rights defenders, and the two-year work plan of the Contact Group between Belarus’ democratic forces and the Council of Europe. Ms. Tsikhanouskaya proposed to develop a roadmap for Belarus’ accession to the Council of Europe. Ms. Tsikhanouskaya named Belarus’ future Council of Europe accession as its first step towards European integration.
Ms. Tsikhanouskaya also officially presented the Cross of Good Neighborhood to the CoE Secretary-General, Marija Pejčinović Burić, at whose initiative the Contact Group on Belarus in the Council of Europe was created. The group has been operating for 1.5 years and has implemented a series of projects to support independent journalists, lawyers, and Belarusian youth.
CONGRESS OF EUROPEAN GREENS. Sviatlana Tsikhanouskaya joined the Congress of the European Greens held in Lyon, France, ahead of the European Parliament election campaign. The leader delivered a keynote address calling for the inclusion of support for Belarus and Ukraine in the politicians’ election programs. Ms. Tsikhanouskaya emphasized that for Belarus, issues of independence and the “green” agenda are intertwined.
At the end of her speech, the leader thanked the members of the Green faction who became symbolic godparents for political prisoners in Belarus. She invited more politicians to join the international campaign of solidarity.
Ms. Tsikhanouskaya also met with the European Commissioner for the Environment, the Minister of Culture of Latvia, the Minister of Transport of Latvia, the Mayor of Lyon, the Minister for Youth Affairs of Ireland, and other politicians.
EDUCATION. Sviatlana Tsikhanouskaya’s Advisor on Youth Policy and Students, Marharyta Vorykhava, addressed Belarusians regarding the changes in the education system initiated by the regime in Belarus. High school graduates with a general secondary education who wish to enroll in low-residence university programs will now be required to have ten months of work experience in the relevant field before enrollment. “We should strive for equal access to education – to ensure that everyone has a fair chance”, commented Ms. Vorykhava. She also noted that the recently introduced military clubs and camps for schoolchildren are a deliberate attempt to militarize Belarusian education.
Sviatlana Tsikhanouskaya commented on the reports that Belarus and Russia will create a unified history textbook for schools and higher education institutions: “The regime has repeatedly tried to rewrite our history. It erased memorable dates and “canceled” national heroes from textbooks. We must understand that we are the ones responsible for what our children believe in. And to tell them the truth, we don’t need unified textbooks with Russia”.
Sviatlana Tsikhanouskaya’s Advisor on Education and Science, Tatiana Shchyttsova, also commented on the reports from Belarus. She emphasized the need to resist colonization policies by increasing the independence of historical science and providing opportunities for youth to study history not distorted by propaganda.
SUPPORT FOR MEDIA. Sviatlana Tsikhanouskaya met with the editors of Belarusian independent media. Representatives from 12 publications and the Belarusian Association of Journalists participated. They discussed issues related to the financing of independent media, cooperation with tech companies, legalization of stay for journalists, and the situation of Belarusians in Lithuania.
SOLIDARITY WITH POLITICAL PRISONERS AND REPRESSED. On Eduard Babaryka’s birthday, Sviatlana Tsikhanouskaya urged Belarusians and the international community to continue supporting political prisoners and their families: “Only through joint efforts can we make sure that birthdays bring people nothing but joy, and the term “political prisoner” remains forever in the past”.
The Belarusian leader also addressed Belarusians regarding arrests of people who have donated to democratic organizations and solidarity foundations: “The regime in Belarus continues to arrest people for mutual assistance, words and gestures of support, and donations. Look at the banners around: “Did a good deed? Welcome to jail!” In a normal world, these banners would feature your faces and words of gratitude from the people you helped and from the state that is proud of you. I know you will continue to support each other. But please, while doing good deeds, take care of yourselves. Prioritize safety and follow precautions. And remember: no law can ever make Belarusians stop caring for each other”.
NEW BELARUS TRANSITION STRATEGY. Sviatlana Tsikhanouskaya’s team released a summary of the public administration system prescribed in the New Belarus Transition Strategy. The summary clarifies the points that Belarusians have asked questions about during the public discussion of the document.
BELARUS-LATVIA. The Saeima Citizenship, Migration and Social Cohesion Committee held a meeting in Riga focusing on the integration of Belarusian refugees in Latvia. The meeting was attended by the Latvian Ambassador to Belarus, Einars Semanis, the Representative of Sviatlana Tsikhanouskaya’s Office in Estonia and Latvia, Vitaly Malchanau, as well as representatives of the Latvian Parliament, Ministry of the Interior, and Ministry of Education, along with Belarusian organizations and communities like Free Belarus, Sviatnak, and Supolka. Ilva Everte, a representative of Free Belarus, noted: “The meeting addressed issues faced by Belarusian refugees in Latvia, including access to primary and higher education, as well as pensions”. Ambassador Semanis invited Belarusian diaspora organizations to present projects to assist refugees and civil society organizations.
MEMORY OF NATIONAL HEROES. On February 2, the anniversary of the day Kastus Kalinouski was born, Sviatlana Tsikhanouskaya’s team shared interesting facts about Belarus’ national hero. “The importance of Kastus Kalinouski’s figure for us and our history cannot be overstated. His deeds are an example of how one person managed to inspire thousands to respect their dignity, defend their language and culture, and fight for freedom. We live in a time when Belarusians face the same threats faced by Kalinouski’s contemporaries. That is why we must not forget the lessons of the 1863-1864 Uprising that Belarusians learned as a nation”, noted Sviatlana Tsikhanouskaya.
On February 4, the day Tadevush Kastsiushka was born, Sviatlana Tsikhanouskaya’s team also shared facts about him. Sviatlana Tsikhanouskaya commented: “Tadevush Kastsiushka was a man of incredible magnitude, a man of ideals and principles. He more than just dreamed of equality and freedom – he fought for them. Like us, his descendants, Kastsiushka’s heart longed for freedom and independence for his country”.
MEDIA. Sviatlana Tsikhanouskaya gave interviews to various media outlets, including Belsat (Belarus), AFP (International), FREEDOM (Ukraine), LRT Radio (Lithuania), Iran TV Independent (Iran, International).
Photo: Margot L’Hermite
