Sviatlana Tsikhanouskaya’s Advisor on Youth Policy and Students, Marharyta Vorykhava, gave an interview to Current Time. Belarus and shared how BRSM, the regime’s youth union, attempted to participate in the European Youth Forum:
“The BRSM attempted to participate in the Forum in place of the RADA Youth Council, sending threatening letters asserting that it should represent Belarus. However, the Forum organizers, recognizing that the BRSM is not a democratic organization, refused to accept them. The European Youth Forum has specific participation criteria: an organization must be democratic, youth-led, transparently and directly funded, and fully accountable. The BRSM fails to meet these criteria, lacking the necessary transparency and accountability. Furthermore, as a state-controlled organization, it does not fit the requirement for independence. After assessing the BRSM against these standards, the Forum concluded that it was unsuitable by all criteria and consequently rejected its request.”
Ms. Vorykhava also commented on where Belarusians can find scholarships and educational programs:
“There is a large pool of scholarships for young people from Belarus. These scholarships are gathered in one place on the Asveta platform. You can filter the various scholarships and programs available there, apply for one, and go somewhere to study for free”.
