Poland in the UK

Sviatlana Tsikhanouskaya, the leader of democratic Belarus, and Vladzimir Astapenka, former Belarusian Ambassador, were joined by Marcin Przydacz, Poland’s Deputy Foreign Minister, Mantas Adomėnas, Lithuania's Vice-Minister of Foreign Affairs, and Wendy Morton, UK's Europe Minister, to talk about the state of democracy in the Eastern European country.

During "The Future of Democracy in Belarus: Europe's Next Challenge" event, jointly organised by the Polish and Lithuanian Embassies in the UK and the Royal United Services Institute (RUSI), the panellists echoed the support for Belarusian citizens expressed continuously and unanimously by the European Union, the United Kingdom and the international community. The event’s speakers debated the choices facing Europe in the months to come, and ways of stopping the violence from occurring and ensuring a peaceful transition of power to a government which enjoys the support of the Belarusian nation.  

Poland’s Minister Marcin Przydacz said: “The expression of nation’s dignity is an asset that nobody can take away from Belarusians. This is the best chance for Belarus to start the democratic transition, the best chance for the EU to have a peaceful and secure neighbourhood. We must invest in this asset, support them, offer clear and positive alternative.” 

Lithuania’s Minister Mantas Adomėnas commented: “We need to be united and consistent in our approach and exert more pressure on Lukashenko‘s regime by holding those that are committing the human rights violations accountable. International mediation efforts should primarily focus on two issues: holding free and fair presidential elections in Belarus in 2021 and release of all political prisoners.” 

“Women have a vital part to play in the struggle for democratic ideals in Belarus. I attended an important RUSI panel discussion on Belarus, where I set out the UK's actions to help resolve the crisis and paid tribute to the courage of Svetlana Tsihanouskaya,” Britain's Minister Wendy Morton concluded.  

Nearly six months since the rigged presidential elections in Belarus, which are widely perceived to have deprived Sviatlana Tsikhanouskaya of her rightful win as the country’s new leader, demonstrators continue to gather in large numbers on the streets of Belarusian cities to demand Alexandr Lukashenko’s resignation. The largest and most sustained wave of protests the ex-Soviet nation has ever seen is matched by the most brutal repressions from the security apparatus in the history of the country.