Sviatlana Tsikhanouskaya held a briefing for ambassadors and special representatives of Lithuania, Ireland, Italy, Moldova, Latvia, the Netherlands, Israel, Finland, Estonia, Croatia, the United Kingdom, Sweden, France, Spain, Norway, Romania, the United States, Germany, Japan, Poland, the Czech Republic, Ukraine and the Nordic Council.

The meeting took place at Tsikhanouskaya’s Office in Vilnius, which continues its work. Tsikhanouskaya stressed that Lithuania remains one of the key partners of the Belarusian democratic forces.

The topics of the briefing included the release of political prisoners, the legalisation of Belarusians abroad, the work of Tsikhanouskaya’s Office, international pressure on the regime and countering transnational repression.

Tsikhanouskaya thanked Poland for its support and solidarity with Belarusians, the United States for efforts to secure the release of political prisoners, and Sweden, Norway and Germany for supporting civil society and independent media. She also thanked Spain for recognising expired Belarusian passports, Moldova for participating in the release of prisoners, and Lithuania for its initiative to hold Lukashenka accountable through the International Criminal Court.

She called on partners to maintain unity in policy towards Belarus, support Belarusian democratic institutions and independent media, assist in the legalisation of Belarusians in exile, and continue pressure until all political prisoners are released and real systemic changes take place in Belarus.

“The path to a free, democratic and European Belarus is difficult, and at times it may seem very long. But I know that we are not alone on this path. Alongside Belarusians stand friends and allies who continue to support us. Thank you for this solidarity. It is precisely this support that gives us the strength to continue working for people’s freedom, for our independence and for Belarus’s democratic future”, her office quoted her as saying.