On the occasion of the visit of Sviatlana Tsikhanouskaya, National Leader of Belarus and Head of United Cabinet, to the European Parliament in Strasbourg, the ECR Group expressed its strong support for the democratic forces in the country.

In an extraordinary Group meeting that Tsihkanouskaya attended, ECR Group Co-Chairman Nicola Procaccini welcomed her as the “true representatives of the Belarusian people”. He pointed out that “the perseverance, resilience, courage, and spirit of the people of Belarus continues to amaze and inspire us”. ECR Group foreign affairs Coordinator, Anna Fotyga, who has been instrumental in keeping the Belarusian people high on the agenda of the European institutions in Brussels, added: “We support you, Ms Tsikhanouskaya, and the cause of the Belarusian people against the usurper, Aleksandr Lukashenko, with all the means at our disposal.”

Tsikhanouskaya expressed her sincere gratitude for the invitation and the “extraordinary” support provided by the ECR Group, also with a special thanks to Anna Fotyga for her commitment. She also stressed that the resolution adopted by the European Parliament on the same day making a distinction between the state of Belarus under the Lukashenko regime and the Belarusian oppressed people was a watershed moment and should be implemented as soon as possible. She referred to the new passports that her government-in-exile would soon issue and that the EU should quickly recognise. Tsikhanouskaya also discussed further cooperation projects.

Also in the opinion of ECR MEPs personal contacts between the people of the EU’s Member States and the people of Belarus should be intensified, particularly in academic and professional fields. Moreover, Belarusian democratic forces should be involved in activities related to the EU’s Eastern Partnership policy and their leaders should be present at EU Foreign Affairs Council meetings on Belarus.

In an earlier debate on the Resolution on Tuesday, Ms Fotyga had pointed out the Lukashenko regime’s active support for the war in Ukraine against the will of the Belarusian people, and the dangerously increasing subordination of Belarus to Moscow.

“It is already three years since the fraudulent elections of the usurper Lukashenko, who continues to intimidate his own people in the most brutal way, came to power. We have all seen the pictures of the trials and the terrible treatment of minorities in the country. We pay tribute to the Belarusian fighters who are fighting in Ukraine, and of course we pay tribute to all those members of the democratic opposition who are so well organised to oppose this usurper”, Fotyga had stated.

Belarusian society continues to suffer systematic human rights violations and crimes against humanity committed by the Lukashenka regime. More than 1,500 people remain in prison for political reasons and some 300,000 Belarusians have fled the country due to persecution or fear of persecution. Monitoring, documenting and reporting on these crimes is necessary to ensure accountability and justice for the victims.