On September 29, during her visit to Brussels, Sviatlana Tsikhanouskaya met with the President of the European Parliament, Roberta Metsola.
They discussed support for Belarus’s democratic movement and further cooperation with European institutions, reaching the following practical agreements:
- A high-level conference at the European Parliament. The event is scheduled for December. Roberta Metsola confirmed her readiness to serve as its political patron, as well as to attend in person and open the conference. This will help draw the attention of European MPs, officials, and the international press to the Belarus agenda;
- An internship program for Belarusians. Under the patronage of Sviatlana Tsikhanouskaya and Roberta Metsola, a special program is being discussed that would allow 10 to 20 Belarusians to undertake internships at the European Parliament and gain practical experience working in European institutions. The program is aimed at developing a pool of professionals for Belarus’s future democratic institutions. Work is currently underway to address the legal and procedural issues.
Sviatlana Tsikhanouskaya noted that the European Parliament has been one of Belarus’s most reliable allies and called for not only maintaining attention to Belarus but also turning this support into practical opportunities for Belarusians, from professional training programs to joint political initiatives.
