The goal of the Belarusian democratic forces was to decentralise governance and foster greater empowerment and autonomy within local communities, stressed Leader of the Belarusian democratic forces Sviatlana Tsikhanouskaya addressing the Congress session on 27 March 2024.
Convinced that the Congress could play a role in supporting Belarus' joining European institutions, she asked Congress members to help prepare the reform of self-governance, launch rehabilitation programmes for children of repressed and former political prisoners, organise scholarships and internships for Belarusians, and endorse the European perspective for Belarus, Ukraine and the Republic of Moldova.
Ms Tsikhanouskaya called on the Congress, mayors and local government leaders to become part of a broad international coalition for the integration of Belarus into democratic Europe. "We cannot make the change in isolation from the rest of Europe," she said, adding that "for the people of Belarus, the road to Europe goes through Strasbourg".
In the debate following her statement, Congress members praised her courage in the fight for democracy in her country, and expressed their solidarity with the people of Belarus and commitment to support the establishment of democracy in that country.
