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“We need to keep pressure on the Lukashenko regime, including sanctions, because Lukashenko supports Russia in its war against Ukraine, and his regime also oppresses civil society and organises hybrid attacks on the EU border,” stated Zanda Kalniņa-Lukaševica, Deputy Speaker of the Saeima and Head of the Latvian delegation to the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe (PACE), on Tuesday, 20 June, during the Assembly's debate on the situation in Belarus.
Zane Kalniņa-Lukaševica stressed that the deployment of Russian nuclear weapons in the territory of Belarus would have direct and lasting consequences for the independence of Belarus, as well as for the security of the region.
Unfortunately, the longer the Lukashenko regime remains in power, the less likely it is that democracy will return to Belarus. The fraudulent elections of 2020 caused public outrage and, instead of engaging with civil society, the regime violently repressed peaceful protests. Illegal arrests, detentions, torture, and inhumane and degrading treatment, especially of political opponents, are regular and well organised in Belarus, noted Kalniņa-Lukaševica.
Many Belarusians were forced to flee their country, taking refuge in neighbouring states, including Latvia, and our country was one of the first to support them when the repression began, said the Head of the Latvian delegation.
A prosperous, democratic, and free Belarus is in our common interests, and we must support Belarusian democratic society in any way we can. Latvia will continue to support the Belarusian democracy movement, said Kalniņa-Lukaševica.
The summer session of the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe, which brings together parliamentarians from 46 countries, is taking place in Strasbourg from 19 to 23 June. Zanda Kalniņa-Lukaševica, Head of the Latvian delegation; Normunds Dzintars, Deputy Head of the delegation; permanent representative Ieva Brante, and substitute representatives Andris Bērziņš, Edmunds Cepurītis, and Ričards Šlesers are participating in the session.
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Saeima Press Service