Фото: t.me/tsikhanouskaya
Sviatlana Tsikhanouskaya met with Romanian President Nicușor Dan. The talks took place at Cotroceni Palace in Bucharest.
The sides discussed the release of Belarusian political prisoners, regional security, EU sanctions, assistance to Belarusians and cooperation with democratic forces.
Tsikhanouskaya thanked Dan for the invitation and for Romania’s consistent support for the Belarusian people since 2020. She highlighted Romania’s position on sanctions against the regime of Aliaksandr Lukashenka, its assistance programmes for Belarusians, the work of the Romanian Embassy in Vilnius and its attention to the fate of political prisoners.
The meeting also covered regional security and the Russian-Ukrainian war. The sides discussed Belarus’s role in Russian aggression, the presence of Russian troops and weapons on Belarusian territory, and hybrid threats posed by Russia and the Lukashenka regime.
Tsikhanouskaya stressed the need to maintain sanctions pressure on the Belarusian authorities until the repression ends, all political prisoners are released and support for Russian aggression against Ukraine ceases. The sides also discussed further assistance to Ukraine and the need to include the Belarusian issue in future negotiations on peace and security in the region.
Other topics included support for Belarusians abroad, legalisation, access to education and scholarships, assistance for students, independent media and civic initiatives. The possibility of Romania joining the International Humanitarian Fund for Assistance to Victims of Repression in Belarus was also discussed.
The sides addressed prospects for cooperation with Belarusian democratic forces, including the possibility of appointing a special representative for relations with them. They also discussed cooperation within international and regional organisations and initiatives.
Tsikhanouskaya stressed that a democratic and independent Belarus is in the security interests of all of Europe, including Romania and the Black Sea region.
This was Tsikhanouskaya’s first meeting with Nicușor Dan in Bucharest. They had previously met in Dubrovnik in April, Yerevan in May and New York in September.