As part of her working visit to Germany, Sviatlana Tsikhanouskaya met with the group “For a Democratic Belarus” in the Bundestag. Representatives from Germany’s major political parties joined the discussion. The Deputy Head of the United Transitional Cabinet, Pavel Latushka, and the speaker of the Coordination Council, Anzhalika Melnikava accompanied Ms. Tsikhanouskaya.
The parties discussed the following issues:
📌 the release of political prisoners and promotion of patronage over them;
📌 the non-recognition of the 2025 sham election;
📌 Lithuania’s referral of the Lukashenka regime’s crimes to the International Criminal Court;
📌 Germany’s support for independent Belarusian media and initiatives;
📌 internships for Belarusians in the Bundestag.
They also discussed the situation of Maryia Kalesnikava, Ales Bialiatski, Siarhei Tsikhanouski, and other political prisoners in Belarus.
Ms. Tsikhanouskaya also met with Friedrich Merz, the opposition leader and a candidate for Chancellor, to talk about Belarus’ role in the war, the country’s European perspective, and ways to assist civil society. The Belarusian leader called for distinguishing between the Belarusian people and the Lukashenka regime.
Sviatlana Tsikhanouskaya: “I am grateful to the Bundestag members for supporting the Belarusian issue over all these years. We are especially grateful for the resolution on Belarus adopted last year, which calls for expanding visa issuance, addressing migration issues, supporting media, and preserving Belarusian identity. We can already see the Bundestag’s resolution being implemented.
I am also thankful to the MPs for supporting our political prisoners and working toward their release. This is a very complex and painful issue that must remain at the top of the agenda. In addition, we discussed support for media and civil society, rehabilitation for political prisoners, and accountability for the Lukashenka regime”.
