During her visit to London, Sviatlana Tsikhanouskaya took part in a panel discussion “The Fight for Freedom in Eastern Europe,” held in the Houses of Parliament.
The participants included the former Minister of Foreign Affairs of Lithuania, Gabrielius Landsbergis; the Founder of Hermitage Capital and initiator of the Magnitsky Act, Sir William Browder; and the Shadow Minister for Foreign Affairs of the UK, Priti Patel. The discussion was moderated by the Co-Founder and Executive Director of the Henry Jackson Society, Dr. Alan Mendoza.
In her remarks, Sviatlana Tsikhanouskaya thanked the United Kingdom for its unwavering support of the Belarusian people and Ukraine. She also recalled the fifth anniversary of Raman Bandarenka’s death, noting that those responsible for his murder remain unpunished. Ms. Tsikhanouskaya called on the international community to increase pressure on the regime and to support Lithuania’s initiatives to hold it accountable in the International Criminal Court and the International Court of Justice.
Sviatlana Tsikhanouskaya: “The mindset and hearts of Belarusians have not changed. They do not want to be part of Russia’s wars and imperial ambitions. In 2020, we won the election – and in a real election, not a sham campaign, we will win again.
Belarus is not Russia. It belongs to European civilization. The eastern border of Belarus is the border of Europe. Only with a democratic Belarus can Europe and democracy be safe. Only with change in Belarus can change come to Russia”.
