German finance minister assures Belarusians of support

April 26, BPN. Śviatłana Cichanoŭskaja met with German Finance Minister Christian Lindner in Berlin to discuss tighter sanctions on the Belarusian regime, her aide Franak Viačorka told BPN.

The Belarusian opposition leader called for sanctions on judges, prosecutors and businessmen who back Alaksandr Łukašenka and support Russia’s war on Ukraine.

She pointed out that the victims of politically-motivated persecution and ordinary Belarusians should be able to obtain visas to travel to the EU, she added.

Germany should prioritize Belarus as part of the solution to the current crisis in the region, Cichanoŭskaja noted.

“I am very inspired by the movement for freedom and democracy in Belarus,” the German finance ministry tweeted quoting Lindner. “Germany stands firmly by the side of Belarusian civil society and the democracy movement.”

At the German foreign ministry, Cichanoŭskaja discussed support of independent media, assistance to Belarusian volunteers, and Belarusian opposition politicians’ participation in international forums, including meetings at the UN General Assembly.

The West lacks a unified strategy for Belarus and only coordinated action will bring about victory and change, she stressed.

Cichanoŭskaja visited Berlin from April 23 to 25.