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Sviatlana Tsikhanouskaya regularly raises issues concerning expired Belarusian passports at meetings with the foreign ministries of partner countries. This was stated by Tsikhanouskaya’s diplomatic adviser Dzianis Kuchynski.
It should be recalled that for several years now, Belarusians have been unable to obtain Belarusian passports at the country’s diplomatic missions abroad. Meanwhile, not everyone can freely return to Belarus to renew their documents without facing the risk of persecution.
“The Lukashenka regime has created a trap not only for Belarusian men and women, but also for the governments of other countries, which are now forced to seek legal mechanisms to resolve this problem.
The issue of expired Belarusian passports is regularly raised during Sviatlana Tsikhanouskaya’s meetings with government ministers. At the same time, negotiations continue at the working level — this is how progress was achieved in Spain.
Therefore, success is possible only through joint efforts by government agencies, parliamentarians, international partners and Belarusian diasporas. It is precisely this synergy that helps find solutions and opens the way to new changes”, Kuchynski said.
According to him, the work is being carried out in two directions. At the pan-European level, recommendations have been developed for Council of Europe countries on legalizing the status of Belarusians, including those with expired passports.
Individual work is also being carried out with each country separately. Lithuania and Poland have systemic solutions in place.
Kuchynski stressed the importance of efforts by local diasporas.
“The Office’s team works with Belarusian diasporas, urging them to raise the issue through local institutions — ombudsmen, human rights organizations and national authorities. At the same time, the issue is being advanced at the political level”, the Office said.
It is noted that passport-related solutions do not emerge quickly. They require months and sometimes years of work, including meetings, gathering evidence and engagement with government institutions.