APPOINTMENT OF AN ADVISOR ON ENVIRONMENT
Sviatlana Tsikhanouskaya named Dzmitry Kuchuk as her new Advisor on Environment. In this role, he will develop her Office’s environmental positions, foster cooperation with green organizations, and coordinate events marking the 40th anniversary of the Chornobyl disaster, including the Chornobyl Way. Mr. Kuchuk – a former political prisoner, former chair of the Belarusian Green Party (liquidated by the regime), and expert in waste management – will also contribute to preparing reforms and legislative initiatives for a New Belarus. He will serve in a non-staff capacity.
BELARUSIAN GYMNASIUM IN VILNIUS
On January 26, a meeting took place at the Vilnius City Council between Sviatlana Tsikhanouskaya’s Diplomatic Advisor, Dzianis Kuchynski, and local authorities against the backdrop of potential changes in school admission rules that could have affected Belarusian children. The discussion centered around the preservation of the Francysk Skaryna Belarusian Gymnasium and the support of Belarusian language and culture. The parties also discussed continued support for the Belarusian Community and Culture Center as a key hub for Belarusians in Lithuania.
On January 28, the Vilnius City Council decided that the Belarusian Gymnasium named after Francysk Skaryna will continue operating and will be equated with Lithuanian schools, provided that instruction in the Lithuanian language is expanded and parallel classes are created.
HOLOCAUST REMEMBRANCE DAY
January 27 marked Holocaust Remembrance Day. Sviatlana Tsikhanouskaya made an address on the occasion: “When you open the news and see that civilians continue to die in Ukraine and that innocent people are still being imprisoned and tortured in Belarus, it becomes clear that the historical lesson has still not been learned. We must remember, speak the truth, and not allow evil to become the norm”.
NEW EPISODE OF “AS IS”
Sviatlana Tsikhanouskaya’s Advisor on Parliamentary Cooperation, Anatoli Liabedzka, discussed in the project “As Is” a recorded decline of 130,000 children in official statistics, utility failures in Belarus, and international intrigues surrounding the regime, while also sharing positive news from Europe.
SUPPORT FOR BELARUSIAN INDEPENDENT MEDIA
Sviatlana Tsikhanouskaya: “We need to have our own voice – a voice that shows the reality in which we live. Most often, that voice for us is Belarusian independent media and the people who, every day, despite pressure, risks, and exile, continue to tell the story of Belarus and speak for Belarus. They preserve and spread the truth. And it is vitally important for us to preserve them”.
POINT OF INVINCIBILITY IN KYIV
The Sustrecha Belarusian–Ukrainian Volunteer Center, in partnership with other volunteers, opened a Belarusian Point of Invincibility in Kyiv, where people can warm up, charge their phones, have a cup of tea, and simply spend time in a safe, warm space. Sviatlana Tsikhanouskaya made a comment: “The Point of Invincibility is an example of how Belarusians come together to help Ukrainians who are standing strong and fighting not only for Ukraine’s freedom but for ours as well. Many thanks to all the volunteers and everyone who supported this initiative”.
JANUARY HIGHLIGHTS
January was marked by a series of international meetings and decisions concerning both the support of democratic forces and the practical needs of Belarusians living abroad. The month’s agenda emphasized coordination with international partners, initiatives to facilitate the release of political prisoners, as well as issues related to legal documents and education. Follow the link for the key developments from the Office of Sviatlana Tsikhanouskaya.
ROUNDTABLE IN CZECHIA
Director of the Office of Belarus Democratic Forces in the Czech Republic, Kryścina Šyjanok, joined a roundtable at the Czech Chamber of Deputies dedicated to strengthening and more effectively implementing Czech and EU sanctions against the regimes in Belarus and Russia. The discussion focused on practical mechanisms for monitoring sanctions enforcement, evasion of sanctions in the context of Belarus, and the need to integrate human rights considerations and accountability for domestic repression in Belarus into sanctions policy.
MEDIA
Repubblica (Italy), BelSAT (Belarus), Zerkalo (Belarus), BBC (International).
