On 4 July, the Minister of Foreign Affairs, Baiba Braže, met with the leader of the Belarusian democratic forces and head of the United Transitional Cabinet, Sviatlana Tsikhanouskaya.
The meeting addressed the current situation in Belarus, including the crack-down by the ruling regime on civil society activists and democratic opposition. Baiba Braže pointed out to recent developments regarding the release of the first political prisoners in Belarus, and she underlined the need to sustain international pressure on the Belarusian regime in order to secure the release of all political prisoners. The Minister reaffirmed Latvia’s unwavering support for the Belarusian opposition’s efforts towards a free and democratic Belarus in Europe.
Sviatlana Tsikhanouskaya praised Latvia’s firm position vis-à-vis repressions by the Lukashenko regime, its role in the instrumentalisation of illegal migration and support for the Russian aggression against Ukraine. Both officials agreed on the need to strengthen and align the EU sanctions regime against Belarus with sanctions targeting Russia.
4 and 5 July sees a visit to Latvia by the leader of the Belarusian democratic forces and head of the United Transitional Cabinet, Sviatlana Tsikhanouskaya, who has already made a trip to Daugavpils and will also be welcomed to the LAMPA Conversation Festival. While in Daugavpils, Sviatlana Tsikhanouskaya met with the leadership and faculty at Daugavpils University, as well as taking part in the unveiling of the exhibition, “25 Steps to Freedom”, by the Belarusian artist Olga Yakubouskaya.
On 5 June, Sviatlana Tsikhanouskaya is taking part in several discussion panels at the LAMPA Conversation Festival. In a panel titled “The Baltic States and the Fourth Sister”, Sviatlana Tsikhanouskaya will join the Parliamentary Secretary of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Dace Melbārde, in a conversation on national identities and political choices.
