During the Belarus Days in Brussels, Sviatlana Tsikhanouskaya held a briefing for a European Parliament delegation.
She outlined the key challenges Belarus faces, calling for rejecting the legitimacy of the 2025 ‘election’, supporting independent Belarusian media, and increasing assistance to Belarusian society. In addition, she proposed effective ways to aid political prisoners and their families.
Talking about the 2025 sham election, Ms. Tsikhanouskaya urged the EU to:
- Deny any legitimacy to the campaign.
- Support efforts to monitor and document violations associated with the campaign.
- Amplify the democratic forces’ voices to counter the Lukashenka regime’s propaganda with a vision of a free Belarus.
The Belarusian leader also outlined specific steps the EU could take to support:
Independent media:
- Provide consistent financial and technical support to independent media.
- Organize training on digital security, investigative journalism, and audience engagement.
- Foster partnerships with European media to amplify Belarusian voices on international platforms.
Civil society:
- Support initiatives promoting democratic values in Belarus and resisting Russian aggression and the ideology of the ‘Russian world’.
- Simplify visa procedures and facilitate the issuance of residency permits for Belarusians in exile.
Political prisoners:
- Raise awareness about political prisoners through international campaigns.
- Provide legal assistance to prisoners and their families via international organizations.
- Establish an EU-led task force to document human rights violations.
