The Belarusian leader attended the Congress of the European Greens, which took place in Lyon ahead of the European Parliament election campaign.
Sviatlana Tsikhanouskaya delivered a speech addressing several significant issues. She discussed the current situation in the country, including the recent crackdown, creeping Russification, and the Russian threat to Belarus’ sovereignty. The leader emphasized that for Belarus, issues of independence and the “green” agenda are intertwined. The same goes for democratisation and ecologisation.
“We need to diversify energy supplies and get rid of this shameful dependence on Russian fossil fuels”, noted Ms. Tsikhanouskaya.
Sviatlana Tsikhanouskaya mentioned ecoactivists that are currently political prisoners and told their stories. She also emphasized the regime’s nuclear blackmail, which affects the entire Europe.
“We must stop nuclear blackmail. First, they built a Nuclear Power Plant which ignores safety norms, on the EU border. Now they deployed Russian nuclear weapons on our territory. This must stop”, stressed Ms. Tsikhanouskaya. She also highlighted the poor effectiveness of the EU restrictions against the regime. For instance, the export of timber from Belarus to the EU not only remained at the same level but even increased.
In conclusion, the leader thanked the members of the Green faction who became symbolic godparents for political prisoners in Belarus. She invited more politicians to join the international campaign of solidarity. Ms. Tsikhanouskaya also thanked for cooperation with the «Green Belarus» alliance, which is working to prepare our country for the green transition.
Cover photo: Margot L’Hermite
