Foreign Minister Ine Eriksen Søreide met on Thursday during political talks with the leader of the Belarusian democratic movement Swiatlana Cichanouska
- It was a strong meeting. Together with other Belarusian pro-democracy activists, Cichanouska is engaged in a bold and difficult fight against a regime that uses brutal means to defeat peaceful dissidents. Foreign Minister, Ine Eriksen Søreide, has great respect for the work she has done since she spearheaded the peaceful protests last fall after the presidential election.
Lukashenka said he was not afraid to use any means to silence all critical voices
What might have been a peaceful transition to a freer society with real choices for the people has become a state marked by terror and fear. Belarusian President Lukashenka said he was not afraid to use any measures to silence all critical voices.
- Our demand for Lukashenka is firm: violence must end, political prisoners must be released and real free elections and political talks with the opposition must take place, says Eriksen Søreide.
Norway will continue to hold Belarus high on the international agenda and support democratic forces.
- We joined all the restrictive EU measures and we hope that this will help put pressure on the regime. Last year, we increased support for work for democracy and human rights in Belarus, and this year we significantly increased support to NOK 30 million. It is important that the international community continues to put pressure on the Lukashenka regime so that the Belarusian people can have democracy and basic human rights, says Eriksen Søreide.
