Belarusian opposition leader on visit to Moldova

Chisinau, 20 October /MOLDPRES/ - The leader of the Belarusian opposition, Svetlana Tsikhanouskaya, is on a visit to Moldova, to participate in Moldova Women Forum 2023 on 20-21 October.    

At the same time, Tsikhanouskaya informed that she would have meetings with President Maia Sandu, Parliament Speaker Igor Grosu and the MPs of the friendship group ‘’for a democratic Belarus.’’      

„I am delighted to start my visit to Moldova at the invitation by President Maia Sandu. I am looking forward to discuss our common European aspirations. I will join Moldova Women Forum 2023 and will meet Speaker Igor Grosu and the group for a democratic Belarus from the Moldovan parliament,’’ Tsikhanouskaya wrote on a social network.    

The first edition of Moldova Women Forum 2023 will be held at the Mimi Castle on 21 October. More than 170 women and over 30 national and international panelists will participate in the event.  

Svetlana Tsikhanouskaya became an important political figure in Belarus, after in 2020 she had run at the presidential elections instead of her husband, Sergei Tikhanovsky, who was arrested by the Belarusian authorities several months before the date of the ballot.     

Because of the protests burst out immediately after the elections and the result of the ballot not in favour of Svetlana Tsikhanouskaya, described as ‘’rigged’’ by the international community, she had to go into exile.  

Svetlana Tsikhanouskaya, aged 41 years, took refuge to Lithuania and faces charges on behalf of the authorities of Belarus, among which ‘’high treason’’ and ‘’conspiracy for unconstitutional taking over of power.’’ She was sentenced in absentia to 15 years of imprisonment, while her husband was sentenced to 18 years of imprisonment for ‘’organization of mass disorders.’’ and ‘’inciting to hatred in the society.’’