Sviatlana Tsikhanouskaya took part in the Bled Strategic Forum in Slovenia. It was also attended by the President of the European Council, António Costa; the EU High Representative for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy and Vice-President of the European Commission, Kaja Kallas; dozens of presidents, prime ministers, and ministers from different countries; as well as representatives of military structures from Europe and the United States.
In her speech, Ms. Tsikhanouskaya touched upon possible future scenarios for Belarus and the region, the country’s development after democratic change, the European perspective, and Belarus’ place in the broader European framework.
She also spoke about the work of the democratic forces, the persecution of Belarusians inside the country, and the challenges faced by Belarusians in exile. Sviatlana Tsikhanouskaya called for supporting Belarusian journalists, human rights defenders, and cultural initiatives and answered questions about relations with Ukraine. She reminded the audience of the threat to Belarusian independence as the regime acts in Moscow’s interests rather than those of the Belarusian people.
On the sidelines of the forum, Ms. Tsikhanouskaya met with the President of Slovenia, Nataša Pirc Musar; the Foreign Minister of Slovenia, Tanja Fajon; the EU Commissioner for Equality, Hadja Lahbib; the Deputy Foreign Minister of Ukraine, Olexandr Mischenko; as well as other diplomats, officials, and experts.
She also held a separate meeting with the Minister of State at the German Federal Foreign Office, Florian Hahn. They discussed continued aid for independent media, including Deutsche Welle’s Belarusian service; support for the International Accountability Platform for Belarus (IAPB); preparations for her upcoming visit to Berlin in October; efforts to bring the regime to justice; joint action within the UN and other international organizations; as well as problems Belarusians face with legal documents in Germany.
Sviatlana Tsikhanouskaya’s closed-door meetings at the forum also explored possible new steps to secure the release of political prisoners through humanitarian efforts.
At the end of her short visit, Ms. Tsikhanouskaya went to the town of Kranj, where an exhibition by Belarusian photographer Pasha Kritchko opened, dedicated to the events of 2020 and the Belarusian democratic movement.
Sviatlana Tsikhanouskaya also gave interviews to Slovenian, Croatian, and international media.
