Sviatlana Tsikhanouskaya: “I closely followed how the election in Poland unfolded and was genuinely impressed. Our neighbors carried out a transparent political process where every vote mattered, every voice was heard, and the media freely covered not just the decisive contest between Karol Nawrocki and Rafał Trzaskowski but the entire electoral period.
This is exactly the kind of election we advocate for — the foundation for a democratic Belarus. Poland has shown how an electoral system should truly function: a diverse field of candidates in the first round, where every group of citizens has its representative and voice; open debates; and fair political competition. In Poland, votes are counted down to the last decimal, and no one fears the possible transfer of power, even when the competitors represent fundamentally different political views.
This election saw a record turnout in Poland — people knew that their votes would not be stolen, falsified, or discarded. More than 70 percent of Poles took part in this crucial process, setting a new participation record in the country’s sovereign history. But I have no doubt that in the first truly democratic presidential election in Belarus, that percentage will be even higher.
I offer my sincere congratulations to Karol Nawrocki! I am confident that together with the newly elected president of Poland, we will build equally strong and productive relations. Poland has always understood and supported us in difficult times — and I hope we will now strengthen this partnership even further”.
