MARYIA KALESNIKAVA’S MEETING WITH HER FATHER
On November 12, Maryia Kalesnikava met her father in the prison hospital. It was not reported whether Ms. Kalesnikava is currently being treated or whether she was brought for the meeting from a punishment ward, where she is most likely being held. The last time Maryia and her father saw each other was in December 2022. Sviatlana Tsikhanouskaya commented on the meeting: “Masha, how glad I am to see your smile after two years of your incommunicado detention!”
BELARUS–UKRAINE FORUM
The Ostrozhsky Forum took place in Kyiv on November 16-17. It was attended by representatives of Sviatlana Tsikhanouskaya’s Office, the United Transitional Cabinet, and the Coordination Council, as well as Belarusian journalists, experts, and activists. From the Ukrainian side, representatives of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, MPs, the President’s Office, and experts participated. The forum discussed cooperation strategy, joint efforts in the information and cultural space, and assistance to volunteer fighters and the media. On the sidelines of the event, Sviatlana Tsikhanouskaya’s team met with the Advisor to the Head of President Zelenskyy’s Office, Mykhailo Podolyak, former Foreign Minister, Dmytro Kuleba, members of the Verkhovna Rada, and representatives of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs.
FOURTH ANNIVERSARY OF RAMAN BANDARENKA’S DEATH
Four years ago, on November 12, 2020, Raman Bandarenka, a 31-year-old artist and activist was killed in Minsk, falling victim to the regime’s violence. Sviatlana Tsikhanouskaya addressed Belarusians on the anniversary of his death: “We cannot forget the people who have died because of the regime’s persecution. This memory is not only about the past but also a reminder that these crimes persist. We must seek justice and do everything possible to prevent such tragedies from happening again”.
2025 SHAM ELECTION IN BELARUS
As mentioned in the democratic forces’ joint statement, the 2025 election in Belarus cannot be fair as dozens of people are arrested daily on political grounds and more than a thousand political prisoners in the country remain behind bars. This will be a stage play rather than an election, featuring the falsification mechanisms rehearsed many times before. This week, Sviatlana Tsikhanouskaya’s Office answered the 5 frequently asked questions regarding the sham election.
Sviatlana Tsikhanouskaya also spoke on the sham election in an interview with Deutsche Welle, reiterating that it is only a political ritual to preserve the Lukashenka’s regime. She added that the votes will not be counted and the regime-approved result will be known in advance. Ms. Tsikhanouskaya called on democratic countries not to recognize the so-called election and to keep supporting the Belarusian people, not the regime.
THE “CROSS OF GOOD NEIGHBORLINESS” WAS AWARDED TO LANDSBERGIS
During the Forum for the Future of Democracy in Vilnius, Svetlana Tsikhanouskaya presented the Cross of Good Neighborliness, the highest award of the democratic forces of Belarus, to Foreign Minister Gabriel Landsbergis: “Thank you for standing firmly with Belarusians in a moment of oppression and becoming our voice in the international arena. You have given us more than hope — you have given us confidence”.
MEETING WITH THE SPANISH SECRETARY OF STATE FOR EU AFFAIRS
Svetlana Tsikhanouskaya met with Spanish Secretary of State for EU Affairs Fernando Sampedro Marcos at the Spanish Embassy in Vilnius. They discussed the strategy of Europeanization of Belarus and issues of support for the Belarusian diaspora in Spain. Tsikhanouskaya thanked Spain for its support, including for increasing the issuance of long-term visas to Belarusians and the active work of Ambassador Nieves Blanco.
SVIATLANA TSIKHANOUSKAYA SCHOLARSHIP
Belarusians can apply for the Sviatlana Tsikhanouskaya Scholarship to study at Management Center Innsbruck, Austria. Under Ms. Tsikhanouskaya’s patronage, students are eligible for simplified admission and financial support. One of the first recipients of the scholarship, Aliaksandra Pushkina, spoke about the scholarship and her studies at MCI.
FAMILY AFTER SEPARATION: PRACTICAL STEPS FOR EX-POLITICAL PRISONERS
Volha Takarchuk, a Belarusian blogger and former political prisoner, shared practical tips on how to talk to children after being released from prison. In the video released on Sviatlana Tsikhanouskaya’s Telegram channel, she discussed steps to rebuild trust, restore warmth in communication, and help children feel that the family is reunited.
NEW BELSAT CHIEF EDITOR
Alina Koushyk was appointed Editor-in-Chief of the Belsat TV channel, leaving the United Transitional Cabinet. The Cabinet’s Deputy Representative for National Revival, Pavel Barkouski, will perform Ms. Koushyk’s duties until a new representative is appointed. Sviatlana Tsikhanouskaya welcomed Ms. Koushyk’s appointment: “I sincerely congratulate Alina Koushyk. I am convinced that her work in the new position will strengthen Belsat and benefit our common cause”.
BELARUSIAN IDENTITY
Sviatlana Tsikhanouskaya’s Chief Advisor, Franak Viacorka, shared his thoughts on Belarusian identity and ways to preserve it in an interview with Euroradio, calling for broad discussions of the national idea, which could help Belarusians understand what unites them and find their place in the world.
MEDIA
Sviatlana Tsikhanouskaya was featured in articles and reports by BelSAT (Belarus), DW (International), BelSAT (Belarus), Sveriges Radio (Sweden), Voxpot (Czech Republic), Inews (UK), and archive.ph (International).
