Belarus: Sergey Tihanovski and Sviatlana Tsikhanouskaya address European Parliament

On 22 October, the two Belarusian opposition leaders Sergey Tihanovski and Sviatlana Tsikhanouskaya called on the EU to keep supporting the Belarusian people’s struggle for freedom and democracy.

Welcoming them to Parliament, EP President Roberta Metsola said: “Their presence in Europe’s house of democracy shows that courage cannot be silenced, and hope cannot be jailed.”

Sviatlana Tsikhanouskaya highlighted Parliament’s support for Belarusian democracy, and called for sustained international pressure on Belarus to free over 1,300 political prisoners. “Sanctions do work, no matter what the regime’s apologists say,” she said.

Turning to Ukraine, Tsikhanouskaya called on the EU to give Ukraine “everything it needs” to win, and to “weaken Putin by sanctioning his oil revenues and confiscating his assets. The weaker Russia becomes, the weaker Lukashenka is,” she said.

Sergey Tihanovski stressed that, after enduring five years of solitary imprisonment with no contact with the outside world, his foremost priority is to secure the release of the remaining political prisoners still held in Belarusian jails. Tihanovski urged Europe to step up its efforts and take the initiative as a strategic ally, supporting the Belarusian people’s struggle for freedom and democracy, so that Belarus can become a neutral bridge between the EU and Russia.

On Wednesday, MEPs also debated the situation in Belarus, five years after the fraudulent presidential elections. In a resolution adopted by 458 votes in favour, the European Parliament firmly condemned the repression in Belarus and urged sustained EU engagement with Belarus, denouncing human rights abuses and highlighting the threat posed by Russia’s influence.

MEPs advocate supporting Belarusian civil society, independent media, students and exiled professionals through visas, scholarships, grants, and protective measures. The EU should provide independent media with systemic and multi-year assistance, including funding, they added.

The resolution also demands urgent measures to counter transnational repression by the Belarusian regime, including misuse of Interpol and protection for exiled Belarusians. 

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Press release

Watch both speeches