Former Belarusian political prisoner Sergei Tikhanovsky, husband of democratic opposition leader Sviatlana Tsikhanouskaya, called on the European Union to take a more active role in Belarus on Wednesday 22 October.
“Europe must do more than become a player in Belarus. Lukashenko is a shrewd survivor, but he is not immortal. The transfer of power is imminent”, he explained in a speech at the European Parliament plenary.
“We, the Belarusian democratic movement, have a plan. A plan to become the next Finland in Eastern Europe. You have the tools, the resources and the strength to make it happen. It’s up to you, Europe. Don’t disappoint us, not like last time”, he added, believing that his country had been abandoned after the 2020 elections and that this was a “serious strategic error“. According to Mr Tikhanovsky, Europe would benefit from his country becoming a neutral bridge between the EU and Russia.
Sviatlana Tsikhanouskaya urged Europeans to see Belarus as an opportunity to change the status quo and weaken Russia’s presence on their eastern flank.
“Let’s keep up the pressure until the regime stops imprisoning everyone, stops blackmailing Europe with migrants, stops arming Russia for its war and puts Belarus on the road to democracy”, she said.
Ms Tsikhanouskaya added that the EU needed to prepare and be ready for a post-Lukashenko Belarus, which she believed would only be possible with a Ukrainian victory. “We must nurture the pro-European spirit within the country”, she added, advocating for contacts and exchanges, open borders, cultural initiatives to strengthen national identity, increased support for independent media and strengthening democratic institutions so that they are ready to assume their responsibilities as soon as the opportunity arises.
Support for the democratic opposition. In a joint resolution adopted following these two speeches (458 votes in favour, 18 against and 84 abstentions), MEPs once again “firmly” condemned the repression against Belarusians and demanded the immediate and unconditional release of all political prisoners, who are said to number more than 1,400.
MEPs reaffirmed their support for the democratic forces in Belarus and called on the EU and its Member States to continue supporting them, as well as civil society.
See the joint resolution: https://aeur.eu/f/j3a (Original version in French by Camille-Cerise Gessant)