VISIT TO BRUSSELS
On September 29, Sviatlana Tsikhanouskaya paid a visit to Brussels. She delivered a speech at the Second EU Parliamentary Democracy Forum in Brussels, organized by European Parliament President Roberta Metsola with the support of Vice-Presidents Katarina Barley and Esteban González Pons. Ms. Tsikhanouskaya spoke about threats to democracy, foreign interference and disinformation, the role of civil society, and support for Ukraine and Belarus’s democratic forces, calling for continued pressure on the Lukashenka and Putin regimes and strengthening the resilience of European societies.
Sviatlana Tsikhanouskaya delivered a keynote speech at the “Poland, June 1976: The Road to Freedom in Europe” Conference, dedicated to the 50th anniversary of the June 1976 protests in Poland. She thanked Polish resistance veterans and noted that their struggle for freedom had become an example for Belarusians. She spoke about how the Polish anti-communist movement inspired Belarusian activists in the 1980s, while contacts between Belarus and Poland helped deliver independent publications, information, and equipment.
In Brussels, Ms. Tsikhanouskaya also held several meetings:
- With Roberta Metsola, she discussed support for Belarus’s democratic movement and continued cooperation with European institutions, a high-level conference at the European Parliament scheduled for December, and a possible program of internships for Belarusians under the patronage of Roberta Metsola and Sviatlana Tsikhanouskaya;
- With Sergey Lagodinsky, Co-President of the Euronest Parliamentary Assembly, Ms. Tsikhanouskaya discussed the participation of Belarus’s democratic forces in the work of Euronest;
- With Verona Murphy, Speaker of the Irish Parliament, she addressed support for Belarus and ways to make Irish MPs’ cooperation with Belarus’s democratic forces even more practical.
VISIT TO SPAIN
From October 1 to 3, Sviatlana Tsikhanouskaya took part in the Foro La Toja, a forum bringing together political leaders, business representatives, diplomats, and intellectuals. This year’s theme was “A World in Disarray”, with discussions focusing on the crisis of the international order, the rise of authoritarianism, the growth of artificial intelligence, and European security.
The forum is a rare platform that brings together heads of state, senior politicians, and leading experts. This year’s participants included King Felipe VI of Spain, Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez, former EU High Representative Josep Borrell, former presidents and prime ministers of Spain and Portugal, and representatives of OpenAI, Palantir, Harvard, Cambridge, Telefónica, and Politico.
On October 3, Sviatlana Tsikhanouskaya took part in the “Belarus: Quiet Resistance” dialogue alongside Josep Borrell, speaking about the situation in Belarus, the democratic movement, and Belarusians’ resistance to the regime.
UPDATES FROM THE BELARUS PASSPORT CENTER
The Belarus Passport Center published a brief report on its work so far this year.
- The Center’s activities have been relocated from Lithuania, the Center’s structure reformed, and non-essential costs optimized.
- A process for receiving, processing, and verifying applications through the official website has been established.
- As of September 2026, 600 documents had been issued, with more than 60 applications currently being processed.
- A security audit of the passport project was conducted. No data breaches or direct threats were identified.
- Mobile biometric data collection points have been organized in Poland, Ukraine, Lithuania, and the United States.
MEETING WITH A DELEGATION FROM THE SPANISH CONGRESS OF DEPUTIES
On October 1, Sviatlana Tsikhanouskaya’s Diplomatic Advisor, Dzianis Kuchynski, met in Vilnius with a delegation from the Committee on Foreign Affairs of the Spanish Congress of Deputies, including Committee Chair Juan Carlos Ruiz Boix (PSOE) and Committee members César Sánchez Pérez (People’s Party), Txema Guijarro García (Podemos), and Diego Taibo Monelos (PSOE). The Ambassador of Spain to Lithuania, José Fernando Fernández-Aguayo Muñoz, also attended the meeting. Among other issues, the parties discussed:
- parliamentary cooperation. Mr. Kuchynski proposed developing direct ties with the Spanish Parliament and establishing a “For a Democratic Belarus” group in the Congress of Deputies;
- legal status of Belarusians in Spain. Dzianis Kuchynski raised the issue of travel documents for Belarusians who cannot safely return to Belarus to renew expired passports;
- support for political prisoners. Dzianis Kuchynski invited Spanish MPs to join the Libereco campaign and assume symbolic godparenthood of political prisoners, write letters to them, raise their cases publicly, and support families affected by repression.
LECH WAŁĘSA SOLIDARITY PRIZE AWARD CEREMONY
On October 1, Sviatlana Tsikhanouskaya attended the Lech Wałęsa Solidarity Prize award ceremony at the invitation of the Minister of Foreign Affairs of Poland, Radosław Sikorski. This year’s award was presented to Georgian journalist Mzia Amaglobeli.
Sviatlana Tsikhanouskaya congratulated the laureate: “I sincerely congratulate Mzia Amaglobeli on this well-deserved recognition. At a time when free speech is becoming a key weapon in the struggle for democracy, the work of independent journalists requires great courage. This award is an important sign of solidarity with everyone fighting for the truth”.
WEEK AGAINST THE DEATH PENALTY
From October 5 to 10, the Viasna Human Rights Center is holding the Week Against the Death Penalty. Sviatlana Tsikhanouskaya called for joining the events organized by the human rights defenders: “Human life is the highest value. The death penalty has no place in a democratic state governed by the rule of law. I am grateful to Viasna human rights defenders, who have consistently worked for the abolition of the death penalty in Belarus for many years and have kept this issue in the public spotlight”.
INTERNATIONAL DAY OF OLDER PERSONS
October 1 marked the International Day of Older Persons. Sviatlana Tsikhanouskaya addressed Belarusians on this occasion: “Retirement should not mean that life comes to a stop. This requires a system that actively cares for older people, listens to their needs, and creates the conditions for a fulfilling life. A dignified old age is not a privilege. It is something every person deserves”.
TEACHER’S DAY
On October 4, as Teacher’s Day was celebrated in Belarus, Sviatlana Tsikhanouskaya made an address: “Teachers’ work is not only about lessons and school knowledge. It is about what a child takes from school into life: whether they will believe in themselves, be able to think independently, notice others, and not be afraid to be themselves. A country’s future begins with its children. Today, you help them grow, and tomorrow, they will build the Belarus we all live in”.
MEDIA
Euronews (International), Euronews (International), New Union Post (International), EFE (Spain), The Atlantic (the United States), Notícias ao Minuto (Portugal), Diario de Santiago (Spain), Agenda Publica (Spain), La Razon (Spain), The Parliament Magazine (International), PAP (Poland).
