The Belarusian leader spoke online at the Congress of the European Democratic Party in Florence, Italy. In total, the event was attended by about 1,000 delegates from around the world.
Here are the most striking quotes from Ms. Tsikhanouskaya’s speech.
📌 “At political meetings, I try to explain that Lukashenka does not represent the Belarusian people. He has betrayed our country, betrayed our people, and dragged our country into war. And I ask you to distinguish between the Belarusian regime and the Belarusian people”.
📌 “The struggle for freedom, the struggle for democracy cannot be won alone. Democracies must be bolder and more decisive when confronting dictators – like Putin and Lukashenka”.
📌 “We really need support for our repressed, for those who continue to fight on the ground, for the media. The regime must be isolated, but don’t isolate the people. Issue visas and open the borders for Belarusians, as democratic countries did during the Cold War. It is sad to see some countries discussing restrictions against Belarusians. Ban the regime, not the people”.
📌 “For the brave Belarusian people who continue to resist repression, my message is – be brave. Be patient. And never give up. You deserve a better future. We will break free from the tyranny. We will break free from the claws of Russia. Putin and Lukashenka will be defeated. The day will come when Belarus will be a member of the European Union. This is a big dream, but this dream deserves a fight”.
