June 25, Pozirk. Śviatłana Cichanoŭskaja met with Estonian Foreign Minister Margus Tsahkna on the sidelines of the NATO summit in The Hague yesterday, Franak Viačorka, chief adviser to the Belarusian opposition leader, has told Pozirk.
The two discussed the recent release of 14 political prisoners in Belarus, including Estonia’s national Allan Roio and ways to streamline the legalization of Belarusians in Estonia.
The Belarusian politician thanked Estonia for hosting an office of the Belarusian opposition in Tallinn.
After the meeting, Tsahkna tweeted that efforts must continue until all political prisoners in Belarus are free.
Cichanoŭskaja also met with Dutch partners to discuss support for the Belarusian media, civil society and human rights activists.
On June 24, she met with Danish Prime Minister Mette Frederiksen, whose country will take over the rotating EU presidency from Poland on July 1.
“It is important for us to integrate Belarus into the agenda,” Viačorka emphasized.
Cichanoŭskaja discussed political prisoners with other politicians on the sidelines of the NATO summit. “It is important for the European-American approach to be as coordinated as possible. It is necessary to demand not only the release of small groups, but also an end to reprisals . . . It is too early to talk about a major policy shift,” Viačorka said.
“Human rights activists have designed indicators that show an end of repression . . . such as the end of trials, persecution and an opportunity for the forcibly deported individuals to return to Belarus,” he said.
The release of opposition activist Siarhiej Cichanoŭski was an energizing and positive development that opened up an opportunity for Belarus to step back into the spotlight, he said.
On June 24, Cichanoŭskaja also met with the prime minister and the foreign minister of the Netherlands. The latter invited the Belarusian politician to take part in the NATO Public Forum.
