Minsk 16:33

Opposition conveys proposal on engagement to officials during Helsinki+ conference

Cichanoŭskaja, Kučynski (center) and Franak Viačorka
(Cichanoŭskaja's office)

August 2, Pozirk. Belarus’ opposition politician had an informal conversation with Minsk’s official representative on the sidelines of last week’s Helsinki+ conference to propose a government-opposition roundtable, Dzianis Kučynski, a diplomatic aide to Śviatłana Cichanoŭskaja, told Pozirk.

Kučynski said he had the conversation in Belarusian with Ihar Siakreta, a deputy foreign minister.

“I told him that we know that within the regime there are many bureaucrats willing to engage, that it is in our common interest and that dialogue and power transition is just a matter of time,” he said.

Cichanoŭskaja announced on July 15 that her camp is reaching out to officials within the Alaksandar Łukašenka government to engage on solving the political crisis that continues since the 2020 disputed presidential election.

The Helsini+ conference took place on July 31 and August 1 in Helsinki as part of the Finnish presidency of the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe.

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