35 YEARS SINCE THE RESTORATION OF BELARUS’S INDEPENDENCE
On August 25, Belarus marked 35 years since the restoration of its independence. Sviatlana Tsikhanouskaya addressed Belarusians on this occasion:
“Many generations of Belarusians dreamed of having their own state. They fought for it, were imprisoned, and went into exile. And our generation was the first to have the chance to live in an independent country of our own. Perhaps that is why, for a long time, we took independence for granted. We thought it was something that would never go away. Today, we understand how fragile it is. The question is more urgent than ever: can we preserve Belarus as a truly independent country? Without independence, there will be neither freedom nor democracy. There will be no future either. It seems to me that independence is something that can unite all Belarusians today”.
UKRAINE’S INDEPENDENCE DAY
On August 24, as Ukraine celebrated Independence Day, Sviatlana Tsikhanouskaya congratulated the Ukrainian people:
“You pay a high price for your independence every single day. Through your example, you show the world what courage means. And you give hope to other nations that are also fighting for freedom. Three months ago, I was in Kyiv and saw your strength firsthand. Your country is at war — and it lives. It works. It learns. It builds. It plans for the future. You have not allowed Russia to take your country away from you. And I want you to know: Belarusians are on your side”.
ANATOLI LIABEDZKA AT THE LITHUANIAN SEIMAS
On August 25, Sviatlana Tsikhanouskaya’s Advisor on Constitutional Reform and Parliamentary Cooperation, Anatoli Liabedzka, attended a plenary session of the Lithuanian Seimas, which began with greetings to Belarusians on the anniversary of the restoration of independence. Mr. Liabedzka also submitted documents explaining why Belarusians should be able to exchange their driver’s licenses or take driving exams in Belarusian.
STUDY: HOW RUSSIA AND THE LUKASHENKA REGIME ARE DRAWING BELARUSIAN YOUTH INTO WAR
Around 13,000 Belarusians study at Russian universities, where students are already being systematically recruited into the military. A total of 1,338 Belarusian citizens have fought on Russia’s side against Ukraine, with at least 314 of them killed.
Sviatlana Tsikhanouskaya’s Office shared key figures from the policy paper “Faculty of War”, which examines how this recruitment pipeline works and what alternatives Europe can offer Belarusian youth.
MEDIA
Le Monde (France), EToday (South Korea).
