Norway to allocate funds for Belarusian reprisal victims – opposition politician

December 2, Pozirk. Norway will allocate additional funding to support victims of politically-motivated reprisals in Belarus through the International Humanitarian Fund, opposition politician Franak Viačorka told Pozirk.
The announcement coincided with a visit by Belarusian opposition leader Śviatłana Cichanoŭskaja to Oslo. Cichanoŭskaja came up with the idea of the fund after jailed Belarusian human rights champion Aleś Bialacki was awarded the Nobel Peace Prize in 2022. Norway provided major support in setting it up, with the Norwegian government, the Norwegian Agency for Development Cooperation and the Norwegian Helsinki Committee being among the founders.
In the 18 months of the fund’s operation, it collected €2.9 million and distributed €1.3 million. Major donors are Norway, Sweden, Denmark, Luxembourg, Croatia, Iceland, Spain, Finland, Latvia and Austria.
Norway will continue its existing programs to support Belarusian civil society, independent media, and human rights defenders, Cichanoŭskaja’s aide Viačorka said. Oslo also reportedly pledged to resolve legalization issues for exiled Belarusians, who will no longer be required to return to Belarus to renew their IDs.
Cichanoŭskaja discussed Ukraine peace talks and risks for Belarus with Norway’s Foreign Minister Espen Barth Eide. The agenda also included ongoing hybrid attacks from Belarus targeting Lithuania and Poland as well as Lithuanian trucks stranded in Belarus and prohibited from returning by Minsk.
The politician lobbied for support for the Belarusian independent media during her meeting with Norway’s Minister of International Development Åsmund Grøver Aukrust, stressing that Belarusians need to see “the future after Alaksandar Łukašenka and without him.”
Cichanoŭskaja to visit Norway, Italy, Austria, Germany, Belgium this week
- SocietyOfficial claims higher schools meet enrollment targetsThe material is available only to POZIRK+
- Society, Sport
- Economy
- Politics, SecurityEU countries report 531 attempts at irregular entry from Belarus in first 10 days of AugustThe material is available only to POZIRK+
- SocietyForeign ministry issues alert over earthquake in ColombiaThe material is available only to POZIRK+
- Politics, SocietyEP president pays tribute to Milinkievič as lifelong champion of Belarusian democracyThe material is available only to POZIRK+
- SocietyRussian trucks en route from Kaliningrad exclave held up in Belarus — reportsThe material is available only to POZIRK+
- SocietyProminent freestyle coach Kazieka dies aged 76The material is available only to POZIRK+
- Economy, SocietyLabor ministry plans to tie childcare benefits to recipients’ actual incomeThe material is available only to POZIRK+
- Politics, SocietyLatvia stops 15 undocumented foreigners in clandestine tunnel on Belarus’ borderThe material is available only to POZIRK+
- PoliticsOpposition leader discusses support for independent media with diplomatsThe material is available only to POZIRK+
- Politics, SecurityPolice in Minsk region trained to suppress protestsThe material is available only to POZIRK+
- Politics, SocietySweden entitles Belarusians to alien’s passportsThe material is available only to POZIRK+
- EconomyŁukašenka: Belarus can’t sell fertilizers at home or abroadThe material is available only to POZIRK+
- PoliticsEstonian newspaper gets “extremist” label in BelarusThe material is available only to POZIRK+
- PoliticsMilinkievič epitomized dignity and inspired many, Cichanoŭskaja saysThe material is available only to POZIRK+
- Economy
- Politics
- PoliticsNew cases of politically motivated persecution reported in BelarusThe material is available only to POZIRK+
- EconomyCore inflation remains at 4.8 percent in JulyThe material is available only to POZIRK+


