President Petr Pavel spoke with Belarusian opposition leader Sviatlana Tsikhanouskaya in Prague yesterday about the situation in Belarus, and how to counter Russia’s efforts to use Belarus for its aggressive policy.
Writing on social media after the meeting, the president appreciated that there had long been a consensus across governments in Czech politics on supporting the Belarusian opposition. Foreign Minister Petr Macinka (Motorists) also met Tsikhanouskaya yesterday.
According to Pavel, Tsikhanouskaya has been proving for six years that even repression and exile cannot break a nation’s desire for freedom. “Today we discussed the situation in Belarus, assistance to democratic forces and how to counter Russia’s efforts to use Belarus for its aggressive policy,” he wrote. Tsikhanouskaya has long tried to persuade foreign politicians to support the pro-democracy movement in Belarus during her travels.
She went into exile after the 2020 presidential election in Belarus, when authorities declared the country’s longtime authoritarian ruler, Alexander Lukashenko, the winner. The opposition called the election rigged, saying that in fact Tsikhanouskaya had won. The West refused to recognise the official results.
After yesterday’s meeting with Macinka, Tsikhanouskaya thanked him and the Czech Republic on social media for their principled stance towards the regime, their constant support for Belarusian democratic forces, and their solidarity with Belarusians facing repression.
“We discussed the security situation in the region, the need to prevent Belarus from being drawn deeper into Russia’s war against Ukraine, efforts to free political prisoners, support for oppressed Belarusians and accountability for the regime’s crimes,” she said.
She also appreciated that after her previous meeting with Macinka, steps had been taken to simplify visa procedures for relatives of Belarusians living in the Czech Republic.
Tsikhanouskaya previously met the Czech foreign minister in February on the sidelines of the Munich Security Conference. “Minister Macinka assured me that Czech support for Belarus remains unchanged and that Belarusians can continue to count on the Czech Republic,” she said after today’s meeting.
In addition to meetings with Pavel, Macinka and Senate Speaker Milos Vystrcil (ODS), Tsikhanouskaya’s two-day visit to the Czech Republic also includes meetings with representatives of the Belarusian community. On Thursday afternoon, she will discuss the situation in Belarus and Belarusian-Ukrainian relations with the public at the Vaclav Havel Library.
The head of the Belarusian opposition has visited the Czech Republic repeatedly, most recently in Prague in May to attend the Globsec international security conference.
