The Belarusian leader addressed the 2024 ALDE Party Extraordinary Congress in Brussels, emphasizing the importance of unity and determination in the European community’s fight against tyranny and dictatorship. She also called on participants to support Belarusians through visas and assistance with the legalization of stay:
Here are some key quotes from Ms. Tsikhanouskaya’s speech:
📌 “We must not allow tyranny to intoxicate and split our societies. Believe me, they are doing this effectively. We must not allow them to undermine our values. We must stay united and resolute in confronting them. Every hesitation or indecisiveness is seen by dictators as a weakness”.
📌 “I don’t know when our loved ones will be free. But I know that every day we are one step closer to their release. We realize that this is not a sprint, but a marathon. But we also learned that we cannot fight alone”.
📌 “I know that liberals are powerful advocates for freedom of speech but also for freedom of movement. I ask you to speak out for more and cheaper visas for Belarusians. While isolating the regime, we need to strengthen the people-to-people ties. We ask you to accept Belarusians wherever they come, provide refuge, and simplify the legalization of stay procedures”.
The event also featured an awards ceremony hosted by The Parliament Magazine. Sviatlana Tsikhanouskaya presented the award in the European Values category.
