During her visit to Iceland, Sviatlana Tsikhanouskaya attended the plenary session of the Nordic Council and delivered a speech:
“Dear President Bryndís Haraldsdóttir,
Dear Secretary General Kristina Háfoss
Your excellencies, Ministers, Members of Parliaments,
Friends, allies.
It’s such a pleasure to be back in Iceland. Even though we’re 3,000 kilometers from Belarus, it feels like home to me. Iceland may be small in size, but its heart beats strongly for freedom.
To all our Nordic friends—Sweden, Norway, Denmark, Finland, Iceland, Faroe, Alands, and Greenland—thank you.
Through dark days, you always stood by us. You did not only speak of solidarity; you showed it. You believed in Belarusians long before the world started watching.
When the Chernobyl disaster happened, Nordic countries were the first to send humanitarian aid to Belarus. You hosted our kids. You didn’t only provide them with a safe space, but also showed them a different world. I was such a kid myself, I spent several summers in Ireland, and can say for sure that it changed my life forever.
Belarus national awakening that we have seen in 2020, would not be possible without Nordic support that lasted for decades.
You supported our independent media and human rights defenders, our businesses and educators, civil society and political parties, cultural and green initiatives.
You helped us to become the nation we are now. Proud, skilled, hardworking, modest, and very, very European in its essence.
And Belarusians take Nordic countries as an example. When you ask an ordinary Belarusian, what country you want Belarus to be similar to, he or she will likely mention one of your nations.
Belarusians see Nordics as societies of justice and well-being for all. “A country for living”, to quote my imprisoned husband Siarhei. Where everyone is respected, every voice is heard. Where the Government serves the people, and not vice versa.
In May, we held the Swedish-Belarusian conference in Stockholm, and I asked Swedish parliamentarians: “Why do you care so much about Belarus?” I got a clear answer: because we are neighbors!
The truth is that Belarus has historically been part of the Nordic-Baltic space. We may not share borders, but we share values. Our cultures have been intertwining over centuries—through Vikings’ trade routes, through Icelandic missionaries who first baptized our lands.
Even in our long and difficult struggle for independence, your countries have always been nearby.
Belarus and the Nordics share a spirit that does not bend to tyranny.
I remember, in 2020, when I just started my accidental political career, the first foreign foreign leader who visited me in Vilnius was Norwegian Prime minister Erna Solberg, just a day after I was forced into exile.
The very first international video-call I had was actually with the Nordic Council leadership, and I think, Oddný G. Harðardóttir was there. You told me then that the world is watching and that the world will be with us as long as we need.
I remember the first meetings and incredible energy of Bryndis, who immediately started advocating for democratic Belarus in parliamentary assemblies.
I remember meeting with Jussi Halla-aho, Speaker of Finnish parliament, who impressed Belarusians with his almost perfect Belarusian language. He actually speaks Belarusian better than many Lukashenka’s officials.
Many of you have become for me examples of politicians, from whom I began to learn.
I realized that if you have someone who cares the same as you care, then everything in politics becomes possible.
I could not imagine, back then, that these contacts would grow into a true friendship and partnership.
Last year, when the Council of Europe’s Summit took place here in Reykjavik, you invited me to participate, despite rules and procedures, though our country is not a formal member.
Denmark with partners launched the International accountability platform to collect evidence of Lukashenka’s crimes, which will allow prosecutors to bring the dictator to account. Just recently Norway, joined by Sweden, Iceland, and Denmark, launched the International Humanitarian fund for victims of repression in Belarus.
In Parliaments, you have created groups for democratic Belarus. And your governments decided to appoint special envoys to democratic Belarus, not to the regime, showing that you differentiate people and dictators. And what you are doing for Ukraine, it’s just incredible, and deserves applause. Thank you!
What makes Nordics so successful in politics – it’s your courage, and readiness to make non-conventional decisions, especially in such non-conventional times as ours.
And we need Nordic support as never before. We need your powerful voice, your energy, your compassion, and solidarity to finish what we started back in 2020.
We need to return Belarus back to Europe, where it belongs. We need to release it from Russian claws, and stop this vicious circle of repression.
In 2020, Belarusians chose freedom over tyranny. We chose hope over fear. We chose Europe over Russia.
In response, the Russia-sponsored regime in Belarus unleashed the war – the war against our own people. Thousands were jailed, tortured, beaten—all for daring to believe in a free Belarus.
Among them is my husband, Siarhei. Yesterday marked 600 days since I last heard from him. He has been held incommunicado. No letters, no voice – not a single word. I don’t even know if he is alive.
Same, we don’t know what is happening to Maria Kalesnikava, the symbol of our women’s protests. Or journalist Ihar Losik, or lawyer Maksim Znak, sentenced to 10 years.
Thousands of families have their loved ones trapped as political prisoners. Half a million thousands were forced into exile. But even in exile, they can’t be safe. They are wanted through Interpol, deprived of passports, while their families in Belarus are often taken hostage by the KGB.
But even now Belarusians have not given up. Because of war and repression, the protest went underground. But people didn’t change their mind. People unite in communities, they spread honest news. Even regime’s officials are leaking important information to the public.
In exile, we have formed alternative institutions of power. We United Transitional Cabinet, and Coordination Council, which works as a proto-parliament. In contrast to the regime, we work democratically and transparently. We serve Belarusians, both those inside the country and in exile.
Soon, we even plan to issue our own passports, and we’ll ask Nordics to endorse this initiative.
Many Belarusians went to defend Ukraine shoulder to shoulder with Ukrainians, and more than 40 gave their lives already. Because we understand, it’s not just Ukraine’s war – it’s our common war for freedom! And the fates of Belarus and Ukraine are intertwined.
The victory of Ukraine might open the window of opportunity for us too, and we must be ready for that.
However, changes in Belarus can come sooner than many expect. This would be a great help to Ukraine too, and the best sanction against Putin. Changes in Belarus can spark changes in Russia too.
And together we can bring these changes closer. By strengthening our people. By punishing Putin and Lukashenka. We must show Belarusians that there is an alternative to the so-called Russkiy Mir. We must show that, when the moment comes, the door of Europe will be open to us.
Of course, the European Union is our ultimate goal. As our Nobel prize winner and today’s political prisoner Ales Bialiatski wrote, only in Europe can our independence and identity be safe, and our nation develop freely.
But before that I propose to include Belarusians in the community of Nordic and Baltic countries. See democratic Belarus as your partner, your ally, and potentially even a member of your community.
Supporting the Belarusian democratic movement is not charity, it’s your investment. Free Belarus means stronger Europe. It means stronger Nordics. It means security, stability, and peace across the continent.
Often, when meeting European politicians, I hear about fatigue. Fatigue of war, fatigue of Belarus, Ukraine… And I hear it so often that sometimes I get “fatigue of fatigue”.
Tell about fatigue to Ukrainian soldiers dying in cold trenches. Tell about fatigue to Palina Sharenda Panasiuk, mother of two, activist, dying in Lukashenka’s prison cell. They don’t have the right for fatigue. Neither do we.
To win, we need strategic patience. But more than that – we need strategic consistency. We must be firm and principled. Because, if we retreat, if we bargain our values and goals for short-term gains, democracy will lose.
As we speak about possible peace talks on Ukraine, my biggest fear is that Belarus might be given to Putin as a consolation prize. Therefore, I ask you to call for the withdrawal of Russian troops not only from Ukraine, but also from Belarus, including nuclear weapons.
We must drag Belarus out of the Russian orbit. And give Belarusians their country back. Only then we would be able to say that the war is over.
Dear excellencies,
Today, as we open a new chapter in Nordic-Belarus friendship, I came to you with some proposals on what we can do together.
First, engage democratic Belarus in the Nordic and Nordic-Baltic community. Formalize the relationship with democratic Belarus. Invite our representatives as observers to your sessions, engage us in your projects. We want to learn from you, and we want to collaborate. Provide young Belarusians with internships at your offices, let them learn parliamentarism and good governance. Help us in drafting reforms and the new Constitution. Join groups for democratic Belarus in your parliaments, we have such in 24 countries already. Let’s build ties and connections, and prepare Belarus for changes now.
Second, support our efforts on releasing political prisoners, and helping the repressed. We must keep this topic on the agenda, every single day. Every parliamentarian can take patronage over one of them. We must raise this topic before the UN and OSCE, and clearly communicate to the regime: repressions must stop and political prisoners must be released. Unconditionally.
Third. While isolating the regime, we must support the people. And here, I ask Nordic countries to provide more scholarships, visas, exchanges, and training for our journalists, youth, and human rights defenders. Help Belarusians who are fleeing repression with legalization. Help students to study, and honest Belarusian businesses to work in your countries. Distinguish between the Belarusian people and the regime. Increase assistance to our civil society and organizations.
Let’s strengthen our cultural cooperation. Let’s show our historical connection and ties, translate each other’s literature, and rediscover music and cinema. The only independent film festival which existed in Belarus until 2020, and now in exile, is called Northern lights – the festival of nordic films, translated to Belarusian language. Such projects not only connect our nations, but also strengthen Belarusian language and national identity, which is under attack by Russia.
Fourth, let’s keep the regime accountable. Let’s bring perpetrators to justice for crimes against humanity, for crimes against Ukraine. Support Lithuanian referral to the International Criminal Court against Lukashenka’s regime. Let’s introduce the human rights sanction package against judges, prosecutors, law enforcers, and propagandists. There were many sanctions for the war, and so little for atrocities against the Belarusian people. No crimes must remain unpunished.
And fifth, let’s not allow dictators to distract us. Next year, the dictator will re-appoint himself as “president”. We must reject so-called elections as a farce. We must dismantle the criminal regime and call for real, free and fair elections that Belarusian people truly deserve.
We must not allow Putin to scare us with nuclear weapons, or North Korean soldiers. Ukraine must be provided with everything it needs to win this war.
Because dictators always see any hesitation, any delay as a weakness of democracy. And they not only see: they exploit this weakness to undermine our unity and decisiveness.
We must understand one clear thing: dictators will not stop until we stop them. Because tyranny is like cancer, it grows unless it is removed completely. If just one cancer cell remains – it will return with deadly force. We should fight the cancer of tyranny, not to compromise with it.
Democracy is often like air for people who live in democracy. Only when you lose it, you start to suffocate. Many, especially young people in the West, take democracy, free elections, independent courts – for granted.
Here, I wish to address the Nordic Youth Council. Use the Belarus case as an example to explain the value of democracy in your countries, so people cherish it, and protect it when needed.
As Nordic nations, you know from your history, that freedom is easy to lose, and very hard to get back.
Dear members of the Nordic Council,
I understand that changes in Belarus are a task for Belarusians themselves. But our fight for freedom can not be won alone. It needs courage, and it needs allies. And many of them are in this room.
The Nordics have always valued courage. I wish you to be brave – in decisions, and in your actions.
Many years ago, you paved the way to freedom for Baltic countries. Now, you can pave the way to freedom for Belarusians and Ukrainians.
Let’s stay united. Let’s defend our values. Let’s make the dream of a peaceful, prosperous, and democratic Europe come true.
Belarus is an important part of Europe’s past, and probably an even more important part of its future. Let’s join our forces to build this future together.
Long Live Belarus! Long Live Europe.
Thank you!”
