Public Panel Discussion took place on April 29, 2024, at the Heinrich Böll Foundation, followed by a reception.
Despite Belarus not making headlines in recent months, the political situation remains turbulent. People continue to be persecuted for political reasons, sometimes receiving absurdly harsh sentences. Over 1400 individuals are still considered political prisoners. Prominent politicians and activists from the 2020 democratic movement have been missing for over a year. The parliamentary elections in February 2024, which excluded any opposition from the outset, were blatantly rigged. Any independent civic activity has been banned. Thanks to his repressive apparatus and support from Moscow, dictator Lukashenko has managed to consolidate his power. The cost of maintaining power is "socio-economic and humanitarian" integration with Russia, which in other words means a complete surrender of sovereignty. Political and economic migration from Belarus has exacerbated the demographic crisis, leaving Belarus in international isolation due to its support of Russia's aggressive war against Ukraine.
Democratic political and civic forces in Belarus, led by Sviatlana Tsikhanouskaya, the presumed winner of the 2020 presidential election, also present a liberal and European vision for the country. The Belarusian civil society in exile discusses the formation of a democratic future for Belarus. However, due to repression and strict media control, it is increasingly difficult to involve people who have decided to stay in the country.
What specifically indicates Belarus's dependency on Russia? Under what conditions could Germany and the EU regain greater influence over Belarus and sustainably support the Belarusian diaspora? What levers of influence remain with the democratic opposition and civil society in Belarus? What are the prospects for political prisoners in Belarus?
Our Experts:
Alena Agarelishava, researcher, participant of VisiBYlity (IEP)
Volha Smalianka from Lawtrend
Astrid Sem from the Science and Politics Foundation (SWP)
Monika Lenhard from the Foreign Ministry
This event is organized in cooperation with the Heinrich Böll Foundation and the Institute for European Politics (IEP) in Berlin. It takes place at the IEP as part of the "VisiBYlity for Belarusian Democratic Activists" project.
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