EU urged not to forget Belarus as bloc prepares sanctions

Belarus opposition leader Sviatlana Tsikhanouskaya is appealing to the European Union not to forget the plight of ordinary citizens and political prisoners in the former Soviet country

BRUSSELS -- Belarus opposition leader Sviatlana Tsikhanouskaya appealed Wednesday to the European Union not to forget the plight of ordinary citizens and political prisoners in the former Soviet country.

Tsikhanouskaya's plea came as the EU prepares new sanctions in response to a security crisis at its borders blamed on Belarusian President Alexander Lukashenko.

Tsikhanouskaya told EU lawmakers that “882 of my fellow citizens have been recognized to be in prison for exercising basic political rights people in the rest of Europe take for granted.” She urged the 27-country bloc not to recognize Lukashenko or his government, and to boost support to ordinary citizens.

“It is getting late. Since August 2020, there have been ample gestures and expressions of solidarity. Belarusians were praised for reigniting their faith in democracy and human dignity,” she said. “Is it not the turn of Europeans to demonstrate their commitment to those values with action?”