Representatives of Belarusian democratic and civil society organisations met with Emanuele de Maigret, Director for Eastern Europe at Italy’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs, at the Office of Sviatlana Tsikhanouskaya in Vilnius on June 18. The meeting was organised and chaired by Dzianis Kuchynski, Director of the Vilnius Office.
The meeting was also attended by representatives of the Belarusian Council for Culture, the Belarusian Association of Journalists, the Viasna Human Rights Centre, the A Country to Live In Foundation, and former political prisoner Pavel Seviarynets.
According to the Office of Tsikhanouskaya, the participants discussed support for political prisoners and their families, the preservation of independent media, culture and human rights activities, as well as Italy’s role in supporting a democratic Belarus and providing practical assistance to Belarusians abroad. Visa support was discussed separately. Kuchynski noted that over the past year Italy had significantly increased the number of visas issued to Belarusians, including long-term visas, and had become the leading EU country in this regard.
Particular attention was devoted to supporting political prisoners and their families, as well as preserving independent media, cultural initiatives and human rights work.
The meeting continued a series of contacts between Sviatlana Tsikhanouskaya and Italy’s leadership, including meetings with Sergio Mattarella, Giorgia Meloni and Antonio Tajani.
“It is important for us that the voices of Belarusians are heard directly in European capitals and that our partners can listen not only to politicians, but also to representatives of culture, media, the human rights community, and people who have experienced political repression. This is how an understanding of the real situation in Belarus is formed,” Kuchynski said, thanking Italy for its principled support for Belarusians and for keeping Belarus on the European agenda.
