{"id":595029,"date":"2026-10-28T14:13:15","date_gmt":"2026-10-28T11:13:15","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/reform.news\/?p=595029"},"modified":"2026-10-28T14:31:48","modified_gmt":"2026-10-28T11:31:48","slug":"latushka-we-have-the-right-to-be-full-participants-in-any-contacts-with-the-lukashenka-regime","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/reform.news\/en\/latushka-we-have-the-right-to-be-full-participants-in-any-contacts-with-the-lukashenka-regime","title":{"rendered":"Latushka: We Have the Right to Be Full Participants in Any Contacts With the Lukashenka Regime"},"content":{"rendered":"
<\/div>\n

Head of the National Anti-Crisis Management Pavel Latushka<\/strong> has responded to an appeal<\/a> by a group of former political prisoners to European politicians. He outlined his strategy<\/a>, which calls for Belarusians to be included in any contacts with the Lukashenka<\/strong> regime. Latushka emphasised the principle: nothing about us without our participation.<\/p>\n

“The appeal by former political prisoners calling for the release of those who remain behind bars and an end to repression is important.<\/em><\/p>\n

It is also important to note that, in many respects, the authors\u2019 assessment of the situation and the steps needed aligns with the strategy established and pursued by the democratic forces\u2019 institutions \u2014 the United Transitional Cabinet and the Coordination Council.<\/em><\/p>\n

We have never forgotten, and must never forget, the people suffering under the repressive policies of the Lukashenka regime. At the same time, it is essential to understand clearly that the regime alone bears responsibility for what is happening. Not the European Union, not the United States of America, but dictator Lukashenka himself, who seized power in the country and persecutes any dissent”<\/em>, Pavel Latushka wrote.<\/p>\n

He stressed that he had always considered the release of prisoners a priority and continued to do so.<\/p>\n

“Nothing is more valuable than human life and the fate of an individual. At the same time, it is important to remember that our strategic goal is to achieve systemic change in Belarus”<\/em>, he added.<\/p>\n

Pavel Latushka listed 10 goals that must be pursued as part of a comprehensive effort:<\/p>\n

    \n
  1. An end to repression and the release of all political prisoners.<\/li>\n
  2. Unrestricted return for Belarusian emigrants, activists and politicians, with guarantees that they will not be persecuted.<\/li>\n
  3. Decriminalisation of political and civic activity in Belarus, including the activities of political parties and non-governmental organisations (NGOs).<\/li>\n
  4. Decriminalisation of the activities of independent media in Belarus.<\/li>\n
  5. Changes to the politically motivated criminal law enforcement practices used by law enforcement agencies against politicians and civil society representatives.<\/li>\n
  6. Repeal of regulations restricting the rights of Belarusians abroad and removal of related restrictions on passport services, notarial acts and participation in elections from abroad.<\/li>\n
  7. Holding a round table with the democratic forces.<\/li>\n
  8. An end to Belarus\u2019s participation in the war and its support for Russia\u2019s acts of aggression.<\/li>\n
  9. Rehabilitation of people unlawfully convicted or subjected to repression, and annulment of all politically motivated decisions in criminal and administrative cases.<\/li>\n
  10. Return of confiscated and seized property.<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n

    He stressed that the grounds for sanctions imposed by the EU and the United States are multifaceted, and that the European Union\u2019s policy towards Lukashenka should therefore also be comprehensive.<\/p>\n

    “Today, there are no apparent reasons to change the EU\u2019s policy towards the Lukashenka regime. Repression continues, as does hybrid aggression against EU member states and support for aggression against Ukraine.<\/em><\/p>\n

    The Lukashenka regime is carrying out the most extensive transnational repression in Europe in the 21st century against the Belarusian people, who are part of the European community.<\/em><\/p>\n

    Lukashenka continues to contribute to the destabilisation of the EU\u2019s domestic political and public life. There are mass attempts to recruit Belarusian citizens on the territory of EU member states. Acts of sabotage and subversion are being carried out in the EU with the support of intelligence services.<\/em><\/p>\n

    Sanctions have been imposed on various grounds: human rights violations, hybrid aggression against the EU, the seizure of a civilian aircraft and support for aggression. Finding a simple solution to this situation is difficult. The most direct way out would be for Lukashenka himself to change his policies. For that to happen, he must continue to feel strong pressure and understand that he will not succeed in dividing the European Union. It is therefore important for the EU to maintain a considered, strong and united position on Belarus”<\/em>, Pavel Latushka said.<\/p>\n

    In his view, coordination between the European Union and Belarus\u2019s democratic forces is also crucial.<\/p>\n

    “At the same time, close institutional coordination between the EU and the democratic forces, our institutions and civil society organisations is essential. The EU and the democratic forces need a unified, coordinated position”<\/em>, he added.<\/p>\n

    Pavel Latushka believes that Belarusians have the right to be full participants in any contacts with Lukashenka.<\/p>\n

    “We have the right to be full participants in any contacts with the Lukashenka regime concerning Belarus\u2019s future. Today, in addressing our European partners, I emphasise: if Lukashenka knocks on your door, respond with one voice \u2014 tell him to begin a dialogue with civil society and the democratic forces. We Belarusians are subjects, not objects. Nothing about Belarus and Belarusians without Belarusians”<\/em>, he stressed.<\/p>\n

    Latushka believes that a window of opportunity may open in the near future in connection with negotiations involving Russia, the United States and Ukraine. It is important to ensure that such an opportunity opens up for Belarus as well.<\/p>\n

    “It is strategically important for us to work now to ensure that the Belarusian issue is included on their agenda. Talks on peace in Ukraine could create conditions for the release of political prisoners in Belarus alongside an end to repression, and could also serve as leverage for achieving deeper changes in our country.<\/em><\/p>\n

    We face an enormous challenge: will we find ourselves under the negotiating table, on the table as others divide us up, or at the table as participants? Who will represent our interests? Who will be our allies? The European Union and Ukraine can certainly be such allies, and I hope the United States will be as well”<\/em>, he concluded.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

    Head of the National Anti-Crisis Management Pavel Latushka has responded to an appeal by a group of former political prisoners to European politicians. He outlined his strategy, which calls for Belarusians to be included in any contacts with the Lukashenka regime. Latushka emphasised the principle: nothing about us without our participation. “The appeal by former […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":119,"featured_media":519819,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_sharing_image":{"poster":"https:\/\/reform.news\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/10\/6ae1dd296d9bb.jpg","width":1200,"height":630,"template":"691142dd","mode":"auto"},"_sharing_image_fieldset":{"dTVKfmI95PYT":"Latushka: We Have the Right to Be Full Participants in Any Contacts With the Lukashenka Regime"},"footnotes":""},"categories":[142339,142338,143090],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-595029","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-main","category-news","category-politics"],"wps_subtitle":"","permalink_manager":null,"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/reform.news\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/595029","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/reform.news\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/reform.news\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/reform.news\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/119"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/reform.news\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=595029"}],"version-history":[{"count":1,"href":"https:\/\/reform.news\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/595029\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":595030,"href":"https:\/\/reform.news\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/595029\/revisions\/595030"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/reform.news\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/519819"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/reform.news\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=595029"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/reform.news\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=595029"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/reform.news\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=595029"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}