Sviatlana Tsikhanouskaya is on a working visit to Estonia, during which she opened the international conference “Authoritarianism and Resistance: Lessons from Belarus and Georgia”, organized by the Estonian Ministry of Foreign Affairs, the Representation of Democratic Belarus in Tallinn, the East European School of Political Studies, and the Tbilisi School of Political Studies.
In her opening remarks, Sviatlana Tsikhanouskaya highlighted the resilience of Belarusian society under repression and noted that the regime cannot survive without Russia’s support.
“Unfortunately, my beloved Belarus is under hybrid occupation. The dictator continues to sell our sovereignty to Putin and wage a silent war against the Belarusian people. But Belarusians have not given up. Even under conditions of terror, resistance continues. People cannot protest openly, but they protest quietly. They teach their children the Belarusian language and history, read Belarusian books, and sing Belarusian songs. They support political prisoners and their families, and each other.
In exile, we have stable democratic institutions and independent media that reach millions of viewers in Belarus. Human rights defenders collect evidence of Lukashenka’s crimes and help those who need it.
We have solidarity funds that raise millions every year for people in need. We have created digital platforms that allow Belarusians to mobilize their efforts wherever they are. Together, we are laying the foundations for a democratic Belarus. This is our resistance and our responsibility.
People in Belarus are ready for change. And our structures are ready as well. We are preparing for the next window of opportunity because we know it will come. The regime looks strong, but it is hollow. Lukashenka resembles a Soviet fossil. Even people in his inner circle whisper about a transfer of power. And without Russia’s support, he will not survive”.
