Pavel Latushka: Deputy Head of the United Transitional Cabinet of Belarus, Representative of the Cabinet for the Transition of Power, Head of the National Anti-Crisis Management, Leader of the "Latushka Team and the Movement 'For Freedom'" faction within the 3rd convocation of the Coordination Council. Not long ago, Lukashenko once again demonstrated to the country and to the world that his economic vision is hopelessly mired in the deep Soviet past. The dictator announced a new "brilliant" strategy for saving agriculture — the accelerated revival of district agro-service centres (rayagrosservisy). Those very same Soviet-era district agricultural machinery stations (selkhoztekhniki) in every district. In his own words, "something needs to be put together in a hurry" even in such small districts. This is an attempt to conceal the catastrophic shortage of personnel, appalling mismanagement, and the mass impoverishment of agricultural enterprises. When there is no one left in agricultural companies to fix a tractor, and no money to do so, the regime's solution is to create a centralised bureaucratic monster to patch over the holes. Let us look at the real situation. In Vitebsk Oblast alone, for instance, there is a shortfall of 20% of the established headcount of livestock specialists and veterinarians, and 17% of machine operators. More than 420 vacancies have remained unfilled for over a year. The personnel deficit has been identified as a foundational, system-wide problem for the agro-industrial sector in the region. This was reported by the Vitebsk Oblast Prosecutor's Office at a special meeting convened for this purpose. Law enforcement officials noted that young specialists complain of poor working conditions, excessive workloads, and no days off. And what solution did the meeting participants propose? Perhaps raising wages and improving working conditions? No. The Prosecutor's Office issued directives to local authorities and once again punished everyone across the board. Another problem in agriculture is that there will soon be nothing left to repair. According to official Belstat data alone, over the period from 2020 to 2024, the vehicle and machinery fleet of agricultural organisations suffered colossal losses. The country lost: 2,892 tractors; 2,141 trucks; 1,169 grain combine harvesters; 471 forage combine harvesters. Where did this equipment go? It rotted away or was stripped for spare parts.

Pavel Latushka: Deputy Head of the United Transitional Cabinet of Belarus, Representative of the Cabinet for the Transition of Power, Head of the National Anti-Crisis Management, Leader of the "Latushka Team and the Movement 'For Freedom'" faction within the 3rd convocation of the Coordination Council. In Kyiv, the delegation of democratic forces led by Head of the United Transitional Cabinet Sviatlana Tsikhanouskaya met with Ukrainian Foreign Minister Andrii Sybiha. During the meeting, which lasted more than two and a half hours, the parties discussed further cooperation between Ukraine and the democratic forces, issues facing Belarusians in Ukraine, and cooperation in the fields of culture, information, and diplomacy. Outcomes: Ambassador-at-Large Yaroslav Chornogur was appointed to coordinate cooperation with the democratic forces; a coordination group on issues concerning Belarusians in Ukraine is being prepared for launch, covering legalisation, migration, and other problems faced by Belarusians in Ukraine; a series of proposals on sanctions against regime enterprises and individuals were submitted; Ukraine will raise the issue of Belarus at the EU Council of Foreign Ministers. Ukraine will consider the question of sanctions against the "Union State"; the democratic forces will join the international coalition for the return of Ukrainian children; agreement was reached on cooperation in countering Russification and supporting Belarusian-Ukrainian cultural and educational initiatives, as well as on creating conditions for the development of the Belarusian student community in Ukraine; the Head of the Mission of the Democratic Forces in Kyiv, Sviatlana Shatsilina, was officially introduced to the Minister; proposals were submitted on holding the Lukashenko regime accountable for international crimes (the act of aggression against Ukraine, the deportation of children, and crimes against humanity); During the meeting, the parties agreed to counter Russian disinformation and propaganda, and to make efforts to prevent Belarus from being drawn into the war. The Belarusian delegation was also presented with a series of historical documents from the official correspondence between the Ukrainian People's Republic and the Belarusian People's Republic in 1918–1919. Sviatlana Tsikhanouskaya: "I am glad that our relations are reaching a new level — this is a clear signal that Ukraine distinguishes between Belarus and Russia, between Belarusians and the regime. We will cooperate with Ukraine across a number of areas to renew the friendly relations between our peoples and to counter the criminal regimes in Minsk and Moscow." During the meeting of the Belarusian democratic forces delegation with Ukraine's Foreign Minister, UTC Deputy Head Pavel Latushka outlined the three directions along which work is being conducted to hold Lukashenko accountable for international crimes committed: the act of aggression against Ukraine, the deportation of Ukrainian children from the temporarily occupied territories of Ukraine, and crimes against humanity against the Belarusian people. He also submitted specific proposals on increasing sanctions pressure on the regime. Andrii Sybiha endorsed them, noting that Ukraine would pursue work in the direction of accountability and expanding sanctions. The Belarusian democratic forces delegation was composed of representatives of the United Transitional Cabinet — Pavel Latushka, representative of the democratic forces in Ukraine Sviatlana Shatsilina, and advisors to Tsikhanouskaya — Franak Viačorka, Denis Kuchynski, and Anatol Liabedzka.

Pavel Latushka, Vladyslav Vlasiuk, Artsiom Brukhan. Kyiv, Ukraine, 2026. Photo: NAM Media The importance of continuing sanctions pressure on the Lukashenko regime was discussed by Deputy Head of the United Transitional Cabinet of Belarus, Head of the NAM Pavel Latushka during a meeting with the Advisor-Commissioner of the President of Ukraine on Sanctions Policy Vladyslav Vlasiuk. Also participating in the meeting was Speaker of the Coordination Council, Deputy Head of the NAM Artsiom Brukhan. "Our shared priority today is to firmly resist, together with Ukraine, any tendencies and attempts to weaken European sanctions against the Lukashenko regime," — Pavel Latushka stated following the meeting. The politician transmitted specific proposals for the introduction of sanctions against 17 enterprises of the military-industrial complex of the Lukashenko regime, institutions of the so-called Union State, Lukashenko's inner circle, propagandists, and officials involved in repression in Belarus. Also highlighted was the importance of maximally strengthening controls over the transit of goods through Belarus to third countries, and of further expanding blocking sanctions against Belarusian banks that remain connected to the Russian SPFS (System for Transfer of Financial Messages). Artsiom Brukhan presented to the Ukrainian side information and materials on the role of the so-called Union State in the aggression against Ukraine and in the elimination of Belarus's independence. The parties agreed to intensify cooperation on sanctions with respect to the military-industrial complex, the financial sector, and propaganda operating in the interests of the "Russian World." The importance of interaction at the level of the European Union on further harmonisation of sanctions pressure in trade on Russia and the Lukashenko regime was also underscored. "Sanctions for the war and sanctions for repression against the Belarusian people must complement one another. Easing pressure on Lukashenko is impermissible in either direction. Only joint and synchronised actions by Ukraine and the democratic forces of Belarus will help deprive the regime of resources," — Pavel Latushka emphasised following the meeting.

Pavel Latushka. Kyiv, Ukraine, 2026. Photo: NAM Media "For me, this visit is important from the standpoint of demonstrating our solidarity with Ukraine and with the Ukrainian people, who have been fighting for their freedom and territorial integrity through the fifth year of full-scale aggression,"— stated Deputy Head of the United Transitional Cabinet, Head of the NAM Pavel Latushka at the outset of the working visit to Kyiv by the delegation of Belarusian democratic forces led by Sviatlana Tsikhanouskaya. Pavel Latushka outlined his plans for the visit to Ukraine: "Belarusians who want a free country are also on the side of Ukrainians. Our heroes are fighting at the front line. During my time in Kyiv, I plan to hold a separate meeting with the Director of the Department of International Law and International Legal Counteraction of Aggression at the Ukrainian Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Anton Korynevych. This meeting will take place as a continuation of previous meetings. I plan to discuss the possible assistance from our side — from the United Transitional Cabinet and the NAM — regarding the collection of evidence for submission to the Prosecutor of the International Criminal Court in the framework of the investigation already under way into the unlawful transfer of Ukrainian children from the temporarily occupied territories of Ukraine to Belarus. Pavel Latushka and Sviatlana Tsikhanouskaya. Ukraine, 2026. Photo: NAM Media We have already submitted two substantial volumes of materials. I personally met with a senior investigator from the Office of the ICC Prosecutor, during which I handed over materials to the ICC Prosecutor. The relevant materials were also formally transmitted to the Prosecutor General of Ukraine. The second direction I would like to discuss is our support for the establishment of the Special Tribunal on the Crime of Aggression against Ukraine. The NAM is currently collecting evidence which we will, of course, be transmitting both to the Prosecutor General of Ukraine and to the Prosecutor of the future Special Tribunal, which is to be established in the Hague in the near future. Separately, a matter of particular importance to me will be the subject of Ukraine's possible support for the investigation into crimes against humanity committed against the Belarusian people. As you know, since March this investigation is also being conducted by the Prosecutor of the International Criminal Court. And tens of thousands of Belarusians after 2020 were forced to leave the territory of the country and relocate to Ukraine, which from the standpoint of international law constitutes deportation. Ukraine recently signed the Rome Statute and became a member of the International Criminal Court. Its voice in this investigation is also very important to us. I also have a separate meeting scheduled at the Office of the President of Ukraine with the President of Ukraine's Commissioner for Sanctions Policy, Vladyslav Vlasiuk, where I will present specific proposals for strengthening sectoral and personal sanctions against the Lukashenko regime. We had previously been cooperating with Ukraine on sanctions matters as well. I hope that this meeting will make that cooperation even more effective."

Pavel Latushka and Director of the Department of International Law and International Legal Counteraction of Aggression of the Ukrainian Ministry of Foreign Affairs Anton Korynevych. Kyiv, Ukraine, 2026. Photo: NAM Media "I thank the Director of the Department of International Law and International Legal Counteraction of Aggression of the Ukrainian Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Anton Korynevych, for a very constructive meeting, for the agreements reached, and for the prospect of cooperation on holding Lukashenko and his accomplices accountable across three directions," — stated Deputy Head of the United Transitional Cabinet, Head of the NAM Pavel Latushka following the meeting at Ukraine's Ministry of Foreign Affairs. During the meeting, the parties discussed three directions of cooperation on holding Lukashenko and his accomplices accountable for crimes against the Ukrainian and Belarusian peoples. Pavel Latushka expressed gratitude for the statement by Ukrainian Foreign Minister Andrii Sybiha that Lukashenko will be held accountable for the crime of aggression against Ukraine within the framework of the Special Tribunal on the Crime of Aggression against Ukraine, currently being established. Pavel Latushka also provided information on the collection of evidence of the committed act of aggression, which the NAM is currently engaged in; the parties discussed the mechanisms and recipients for transmitting the relevant materials. It was agreed that, once these materials have been consolidated, the National Anti-Crisis Management will transmit them to Ukraine's Ministry of Foreign Affairs for subsequent transmission to the Prosecutor General of Ukraine, as well as to the International Centre for the Prosecution of the Crime of Aggression against Ukraine in The Hague. It was emphasised that representatives of the democratic forces of Belarus will, during international meetings, lobby for the importance of other states joining the mechanisms underpinning the functioning of the Special Tribunal. The representative of Ukraine's MFA informed that, as of now, 36 states and the European Union have confirmed their participation in its establishment. The meeting also addressed the possibilities of holding Lukashenko and his accomplices accountable for the unlawful transfer of Ukrainian children and their subsequent indoctrination in the interests of the "Russian World." The Head of the NAM informed the Ukrainian side that Lukashenko continues to commit these crimes. As an example, it was noted that the previous week another arrival of children from the occupied territories of Ukraine to Vitebsk had been recorded. Lukashenko has on multiple occasions himself admitted to committing crimes against Ukrainian children. For instance, on 27 June 2023, he stated: "I approached Putin and said: let us allocate a portion of the Union budget for these children. And that is how we started bringing them over." Pavel Latushka conveyed information indicating that no fewer than 3,500 Ukrainian children from at least 15 cities had been transferred to Belarusian territory. He also noted that, as a result of considerable painstaking work, it had been possible to identify several dozen orphaned children from Ukraine. In addition, the Deputy Head of the Cabinet requested that the Ukrainian side draw the attention of the International Criminal Court and, in particular, the Office of the Prosecutor, to the importance of investigating the deportation of Ukrainian children to Belarus. During the discussion of the progress of the ICC Prosecutor's investigation into the "Belarusian situation" — relating to the commission of crimes against humanity against the Belarusian people — the representative of Ukraine's MFA extended congratulations in connection with the achievement of such a significant result in the work of the NAM and Belarusian human rights organisations. Pavel Latushka made a request for the implementation of the procedure under Article 14 of the Rome Statute and the referral to the ICC Office of the Prosecutor of information concerning the situation involving the deportation of part of the civilian population of Belarus to Ukraine. This is connected to the fact that since August 2020, tens of thousands of Belarusians have been compelled to leave Belarus and relocate to that country, where they are subsequently subjected to cross-border persecution. During the meeting, it was noted that citizens of Ukraine are also among the victims of crimes against humanity committed by the Lukashenko regime. The parties agreed to continue substantive engagement across all three directions of holding representatives of the Lukashenko regime to account.

Deputy Head of the United Transitional Cabinet, Head of the NAM Pavel Latushka, during a meeting with the Speaker of the Lithuanian Parliament Juozas Olekas, expressed gratitude for Lithuania's position on matters concerning support for political prisoners deported to Lithuanian territory, accountability of the Lukashenko regime for crimes committed against the Belarusian people. Also participating in the meeting were Denis Kuchynski, Director of Sviatlana Tsikhanouskaya's Office in Vilnius, and Iryna Khalopitsa, Deputy Head of the International Commission of the Coordination Council. During the meeting, the Speaker expressed full support for the democratic forces of Belarus. He noted that the Lithuanian Parliament is always open to hosting events in support of Belarus's democratic movement. He also emphasised that the parliament supports the position of the Lithuanian government regarding regime accountability and the continuation of sanctions pressure. A separate item on the meeting's agenda was a discussion of the security threat to Lithuania posed by the Lukashenko regime. Pavel Latushka briefed Juozas Olekas on the results of the elections to the Coordination Council. He also spoke about the steps being taken to hold Lukashenko accountable for crimes against humanity committed against the Belarusian people, for the unlawful transfer of Ukrainian orphans to Belarusian territory, and for the commission of an act of aggression against Ukraine. During the meeting, Pavel Latushka presented information on the work of the Belarusian delegation of the Coordination Council in the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe, as well as in other inter-parliamentary organisations in which the CR is represented.

"It is precisely thanks to the Ministry of Justice and the Government of Lithuania that thousands of Belarusians who have suffered from repression, persecution, and deportation have been given hope for international justice and the restoration of their rights," — stated Deputy Head of the United Transitional Cabinet, Head of the NAM Pavel Latushka during a meeting with Lithuania's Minister of Justice Rita Tamašunienė. During the meeting, Pavel Latushka expressed gratitude to Lithuania and noted that the referral of the "Belarusian situation" by the Lithuanian Government to the Office of the Prosecutor of the International Criminal Court is not only the result of painstaking legal work, but also an act of Lithuania's commitment to the highest principles of justice. Pavel Latushka emphasised that at this point everything within our power is being done to advance the investigation of the "Belarusian situation" at the International Criminal Court, as well as to encourage other countries to join and support this investigation. The parties also separately discussed other avenues for holding the regime to international account, including within the framework of the International Court of Justice. The conversation covered accountability both for crimes against Belarusians and for violations of international obligations with respect to Lithuania.

Pavel Latushka: Deputy Head of the United Transitional Cabinet of Belarus, Representative of the Cabinet for the Transition of Power, Head of the National Anti-Crisis Management, Leader of the "Latushka Team and the Movement 'For Freedom'" faction within the 3rd convocation of the Coordination Council. Following Lithuania, Ukraine has effectively “paid for a ticket” for Lukashenko to The Hague, this time within the framework of a different criminal process. Today, during the meeting of the Committee of Ministers of the Council of Europe in Chișinău, a decision was approved on behalf of 37 states to establish an Enlarged Partial Agreement on the creation of a Special Tribunal for the crime of aggression against Ukraine. It is particularly important to emphasize that, in his statement on this occasion, Ukrainian Foreign Minister Andrii Sybiha explicitly named Lukashenko among those who fall under the jurisdiction of this tribunal. It is important to note that this is also a result of the work carried out by me and the delegation of the Coordination Council in the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe (PACE). During participation in PACE sessions, resolutions were adopted that established the framework of the Special Tribunal with a jurisdiction that makes it possible to hold Lukashenko accountable. A relevant amendment on Lukashenko’s responsibility was prepared by the team of the National Anti-Crisis Management (NAM) and submitted by me as a delegate of the Coordination Council to PACE; it states that “the Assembly emphasizes that the jurisdiction of the Special Tribunal should cover alleged crimes of aggression committed by the so-called Belarusian leadership.” This is a direct result of the work and the important role played by the Coordination Council in the struggle against the Lukashenko regime. At present, the team of the National Anti-Crisis Management (NAM) is collecting evidence of Lukashenko’s and his accomplices’ commission of the act of aggression against Ukraine, which will be submitted to the newly established Special Tribunal.

Pavel Latushka: Deputy Head of the United Transitional Cabinet of Belarus, Representative of the Cabinet for the Transition of Power, Head of the National Anti-Crisis Management, Leader of the "Latushka Team and the Movement 'For Freedom'" faction within the 3rd convocation of the Coordination Council Coordination Council delegate and member of the CR delegation to the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe, Pavel Latushka, addressed a session of the PACE Committee on Political Affairs and Democracy. Pavel Latushka highlighted the enormous scale of repressions in Belarus, which have not ceased, drawing attention to the fact that, according to Dissidentby, as of today 920 people have been recognized as political prisoners. According to information from the human rights centre "Viasna", since 2020 at least 9,691 people have faced politically motivated criminal prosecution. At least 8,394 people have been convicted, including in absentia. "The repressions in Belarus — the most extensive in the history of 21st-century Europe — are not merely continuing; they have long since taken the form of systematic state terror. The conveyor belt of repression does not stop for a single day." Pavel Latushka emphasized that in order to achieve genuine rather than cosmetic political change in our country, we propose a strategy consisting of two directions: The United States, using its sanctions pressure tools against the regime, seeks the release of political prisoners. It is also important to achieve the cessation of repressions. The European Union and other democratic countries are urged to consistently employ sanctions mechanisms as leverage to achieve real, systemic change in Belarus. "We ask that the message to the regime from European partners be unequivocal: dialogue with Belarusian society must come first." Separately during his address, Pavel Latushka briefed the PACE Political Committee on the results of the elections to the Coordination Council. He noted the unprecedented pressure that had to be confronted in conducting these elections. "The regime created an atmosphere of fear among Belarusians. All slates that participated in the elections were declared extremist, as was the Coordination Council itself, which has been designated an extremist organisation. The regime staged fake detentions of Belarusian citizens inside the country, ostensibly for participating in the elections; relatives of candidates were subjected to repressions in order to coerce them into withdrawing from the electoral campaign. A large-scale campaign of discrediting and disinformation was organised — directed both at the Coordination Council itself and at the elections as a whole. We faced DDoS attacks of an unprecedented scale. During the elections, more than 24 billion requests were made against the Coordination Council's electronic voting platform, generating approximately 68 terabytes of malicious traffic." During the address, Pavel Latushka also identified several key priorities on which the CR delegation to PACE will continue its work: To lobby among PACE colleagues so that other countries join the International Criminal Court Prosecutor's investigation into the "Belarusian situation". To focus on transboundary crimes. To support the work of the Special Tribunal on the Crime of Aggression against Ukraine. To hold Lukashenko accountable for the unlawful transfer of Ukrainian children, within the framework of the case already under investigation at the ICC. To implement the Luxembourg Agreements adopted by PACE, concerning the practical resolution of legalisation issues for Belarusians abroad — given that Belarusians find themselves in an exceptional situation in which the Lukashenko regime has banned the issuance and renewal of passports for Belarusian citizens residing outside the country. To support political prisoners. "As the delegation of democratic Belarus in PACE, we are committed to long-term and constructive cooperation with PACE. I believe that through our joint efforts we will return Belarus to the great European family of democratic peoples."

Pavel Latushka, Warsaw, 2026. Photo: Ruslan Seradzyuk Elections have always been and remain the principal source of democracy, and under the conditions of a totalitarian dictatorship inside the country, we have no right to abandon this unique instrument. It allows us to form a democratic institution through the votes of Belarusians, regardless of where we live, writes Pavel Latushka, Deputy Head of the United Transitional Cabinet and leader of the electoral list in the elections to the Coordination Council, "Latushka Coalition and the ‘For Freedom’ Movement", in his address to the audience of Radio Svaboda. Source: svaboda.org We must not allow the process of democratic formation of our institutions to be interrupted precisely now, when there is a real threat to the future of the country and its independence. At the same time, it is important to understand that the legitimacy of the Coordination Council is determined not only by the number of people who voted, but also by the scope and scale of the tasks being carried out in the interests of Belarus and Belarusians, as well as by the reach of its activities across countries where Belarusians reside. Of course, the Coordination Council can and should be criticized for inefficiency, but at the same time we must not close our eyes to the fact that the Coordination Council is on the front line of pressure from all branches of the regime’s special services. The goal of the regime and its special services is absolutely obvious — to destroy the representative body of Belarusians. Are we really prepared to agree that our interests coincide with the interests of the regime, namely the depoliticization of society and the elimination of elections as a form of democratic expression? The answer, I believe, is more than obvious — no. And this answer is being given by the nine electoral lists and 172 candidates running in the elections to the parliament independent from Lukashenko’s dictatorship — the Coordination Council — who are assuming political responsibility and readiness to risk, if necessary, even their lives and health so that the collective voice of Belarusians may be heard. Today, we are effectively at war, where not only weapons are used, but also disinformation aimed at discreditation. Therefore, it is important for us to remain tolerant and thoughtful in our assessments, without allowing ourselves to speculate on narratives that are artificially created within the regime in order to demotivate us from continuing political struggle. Let us imagine an ideal scenario: one million Belarusians cast their votes in the elections to the Coordination Council. Would any international partner then dare to bypass our interests? Ignore them in relations with the regime that usurped power in our country? Of course not. Would this voice influence the internal political situation in Belarus? Undoubtedly yes. A real parliament — not the regime’s imitation parliament — is our genuine voice on the international stage. Let us look at what we have managed to achieve even with the 6,700 voters who cast their ballots for the third convocation of the Coordination Council in 2024. As of today, our representative body has been recognized by the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe, as well as by the Congress of Local and Regional Authorities of the Council of Europe, where our official delegations are active. This happened for the first time in the history of the democratic forces and, in fact, in the history of Belarus. The Coordination Council has also been recognized by the European Parliament and the Senate of Poland, while the 2024 elections were directly observed by members of the French National Assembly. In parallel, delegates of the Coordination Council conducted bilateral meetings with parliamentarians from dozens of democratic countries, during which the interests of Belarus and Belarusians — both inside and outside the country — were actively advocated. The Coordination Council has consistently lobbied for accountability of representatives of the Lukashenko regime, as well as for sanctions pressure aimed at securing the release of political prisoners. We succeeded in lobbying for a whole series of additions and amendments to resolutions of the European Parliament concerning sanctions pressure, accountability for torture against political prisoners, international criminal responsibility for crimes against humanity committed against the Belarusian people, and responsibility for aggression against Ukraine. Even a single amendment, achieved through the work of the Coordination Council delegation, to the resolution of the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe on the responsibility of Lukashenko and his accomplices for the act of aggression against Ukraine is sufficient reason for the Coordination Council to exist. Had we not been present in PACE, that amendment would not have existed either. A real parliament — not the regime’s imitation parliament — is our true voice on the international stage. It is important to emphasize that neither the House of Representatives nor the Council of the Republic could ever even imagine achieving what the Coordination Council accomplished in just one year and ten months of work. Moreover, the Coordination Council directly influences the activities of the United Transitional Cabinet: every Cabinet member first undergoes a vote confirming their mandate for appointment and subsequently reports to the Coordination Council on their work, while the Coordination Council also conducts votes of confidence. The results of this work are visible at the level of national parliaments of other countries as well. Both the Sejm and the Senate of Poland refused to recognize Lukashenko as president — and members of the Coordination Council also lobbied for this outcome. PACE likewise refused to recognize Lukashenko as president, which became the result of the work of our first-ever delegation to PACE. In turn, the Congress of Local and Regional Authorities of the Council of Europe granted delegates of the Coordination Council the right to observe elections in the 46 member states of the Council of Europe. Let me emphasize: not to observe us, but for us to observe them — and this is a unique precedent. A special place in our work is occupied by the legalization of Belarusians abroad — something the Coordination Council works on daily and one of the issues that concerns voters outside Belarus most deeply. Constant and continuous lobbying is carried out during meetings with colleagues from the parliaments of dozens of democratic countries: Austria, Belgium, the United Kingdom, Germany, Italy, Canada, Latvia, Lithuania, Luxembourg, France, Croatia, Sweden, Estonia, and many others. Eighty voices united within one institution are a real force and a strengthening of our Belarusian voice. Of course, there are no instant solutions to all problems, nor can there be. Politics does not achieve all goals in a single day. Even a national parliament cannot force the government of another country to resolve all issues concerning foreign citizens during one meeting. This requires daily work, lobbying, and negotiation. We must not forget that every country has its own national interests. Speaking about the importance of the Coordination Council as an institution, it is worth remembering: a delegate who holds a mandate from voters is many times more effective than a self-appointed or self-proclaimed politician. These are democratic standards recognized within the European Union. Every partner country has its own internal issues, but when 80 delegates lobby for our interests, this is no longer the voice of one person, even if that person is the most famous and influential democratic politician of the country — Sviatlana Tsikhanouskaya. Eighty voices united within one institution are a real force and a strengthening of our Belarusian voice. The regime has always sought to eliminate genuine elections, transforming them into a formal calendar procedure for extending powers. But we cannot and have no right, as people who believe in democracy, to renounce its very essence, where the key words are “elections” and "choice". I would like to remind you that in a recent interview with the Russian propaganda channel RT, Lukashenko reflected on conducting a "reform of state governance using the experience of the old days" — meaning the Soviet past, where the Communist Party played the leading and decisive role. It is obvious that his main dream is to eliminate the institution of elections once and for all. He organically rejects the very fact that the president and deputies are elected positions, not lifelong privileges. These are offices to which the people appoint politicians by evaluating their proposals and their responsibility for implementing programs. That is precisely why we vitally need our own real representative body of Belarusians — the Coordination Council. Today, it is our only opportunity to maintain a democratic alternative to the authoritarian regime. In the same interview, the dictator complained: "Westerners recommended to us, first of all, multiparty politics, pluralism of opinions, and so on". He directly calls adherence to these recommendations a mistake. Lukashenko is deeply hostile to the very idea of a democratic path of development. He does not even hide that he deliberately led the country toward authoritarianism: “And when I became president, even without possessing the power I possess now, I began reforming the country. The foolish reforms were abolished in the harshest possible way". As a vivid illustration of how this system functions, I can recall a story from personal experience. After my return from France, where I served as ambassador, the then-chairman of the Council of the Republic proposed that I write a letter to the dictator requesting appointment to the upper chamber of Lukashenko’s parliament. This clearly demonstrates the true state of affairs: in Belarus, deputies of the House of Representatives and members of the Council of the Republic are not elected — they are effectively appointed from above. We, by contrast, propose a genuine democratic instrument — elections. After my return from France, the chairman of the Council of the Republic suggested that I write a letter to the dictator requesting appointment to the upper chamber of Lukashenko’s parliament. Today we have a unique opportunity to change this system. Let us vote! Let us together create a real alternative to appointed pseudo-parliamentary structures. Lukashenko does not have our support, but we must constantly reaffirm that he has no right to speak on our behalf. By electing our parliament — the Coordination Council — we preserve this right for Belarusians. Because if we dissolve the Coordination Council, then champagne — even Soviet champagne, perhaps especially Soviet champagne — will only be needed to celebrate new ranks for another group of lieutenant colonels and generals in Minsk. And the seats of the Coordination Council at negotiations in European capitals will be taken by Gaidukeviches, Gigins, and Azaronoks, who represent the interests of the regime, not those of Belarusians. And finally, last in order but not in importance: it is impossible to imagine discussions in a democratic society about abolishing parliamentarianism, even at the stage of its emergence. One can always speak about improving and strengthening parliamentarianism, but never about eliminating or dismantling it — that is the road to dictatorship.

Dainius Žalimas. Source: madeinvilnius.lt In connection with the coordinated information campaign aimed at discrediting Lithuanian Member of the European Parliament and former President of the Constitutional Court of Lithuania, Dainius Žalimas, through attacks against the activities of the Center for Law and Democracy "Justice Hub", I, Pavel Latushka, Deputy Head of the United Transitional Cabinet, Head of the National Anti-Crisis Management (NAM), and Laureate of the Lech Wałęsa Award, state the following. Dainius Žalimas and the "Justice Hub"center previously headed by him have made one of the most significant contributions to advancing accountability for representatives of the Lukashenko regime for international crimes committed against Belarusians. The history of my personal cooperation with Mr. Žalimas began in 2021. In 2023, it was precisely thanks to the work organized and financed by "Justice Hub" that the first multilateral report on crimes against humanity in Belarus was prepared. It can confidently be stated that this was the first major expert document to directly substantiate the qualification of crimes against humanity in Belarus. Most importantly, the document provided a highly detailed description of the pathways toward justice, taking into account the available international and national legal mechanisms. On the occasion of the report’s release, "Justice Hub" organized a major international conference in Vilnius with the participation of distinguished international experts. Throughout 2022–2025, NAM worked in the closest possible cooperation with "Justice Hub", particularly within the framework of preparing the aforementioned report. It was precisely thanks to these joint efforts that an international community of like-minded experts was formed, capable of carrying out work that has today resulted in the Office of the Prosecutor of the International Criminal Court opening an investigation into the "Belarus situation". In addition, "Justice Hub" directly contributed to the initiation in Lithuania of investigations into crimes of torture committed in Belarus on the basis of the principle of universal jurisdiction. There is no doubt that the current discrediting attack against Dainius Žalimas and the work of "Justice Hub" bears all the hallmarks of a coordinated information campaign conducted by the Belarusian and Russian special services. Why now? Because the work of "Justice Hub" and the personal contribution of Dainius Žalimas have now produced tangible results and brought closer the real accountability of the Lukashenko regime, as well as the restoration of the rights of hundreds of thousands of Belarusians. On March 12, the Office of the Prosecutor of the International Criminal Court launched an investigation into the "Belarus situation". At the same time, Dainius Žalimas has consistently defended the issues of international justice for Belarus, support for Ukraine, and the broader European vector at the European Parliament. It is precisely now that the Belarusian regime, together with the Belarusian and Russian special services, is systematically attacking everyone connected to the result we have achieved at the International Criminal Court.Dainius Žalimas, as a person who made a significant contribution, has become the target of one such attack. In this regard, I express my full solidarity and support personally, on behalf of the team of the National Anti-Crisis Management (NAM), and on behalf of the Belarusians whom I represent in the Coordination Council. I would like Belarusians to know that Dainius Žalimas was among the first to come to the aid of Belarusians who suffered from repression, and that his work has produced real results in the matter of protecting victims of international crimes. In the person of Dainius Žalimas, democratic Belarus has found a true friend and ally, for which I am sincerely grateful to him.

Coalition "Latushka and the Movement 'For Freedom'" Sitting in the gilded chairs of the Palace of Independence today is no easy task. For many ministers, directors, and officials of the vertical, these meetings have long since ceased to be strategy discussions and become psychological torture. You watch as the country's "chief economist," stuck in the methods of the last century, drags your enterprises and your careers into the abyss. But this year, each of you — and all Belarusians — has a real chance to change this scenario: from 11 to 17 May, elections to the Coordination Council will take place. This is currently the only legal and safe way to form an alternative to the dictatorship. While the dictator once again searches for someone to blame for his own failures, it is time to acknowledge: we cannot go on living like this. While you avert your eyes before the cameras at yet another pointless meeting, we will answer the questions put to you that you are afraid to answer truthfully. On 5 May, another act unfolded in the long-running drama known as "Dressing Down the Government." This time, the country's chief and irreplaceable economist gathered his loyal ministers and bankers to discuss, for the hundredth time, why his beloved projects — cement plants and agro-industrial complexes — are once again asking for money instead of generating it. Lukashenko traditionally assumed the role of a stern auditor "alarmed by the flood of requests for handouts." He posed four questions to the room about the survival of the industry — questions that officials, nervously glancing at the State Control Committee, are unlikely to answer honestly. For in this system, the truth is the shortest path to dismissal or pre-trial detention. Since the dictator will not receive objectivity from his entourage, we decided to assist Lukashenko and prepared the very answers that neither the Prime Minister and Deputy Prime Ministers, nor the heads of the State Control Committee, nor representatives of the National Bank, nor a number of ministers and regional executive committee chairmen — who sit at these meetings with eyes cast down — will ever dare to speak aloud. This meeting is a classic example of "Groundhog Day" in the Belarusian economy. We see the same mise-en-scène again: the dictator reprimands officials for the fact that his own economic mega-projects have turned into bottomless budget pits. 1. What has the government already done for the development of the cement industry? In short: under the strict control and guidance of Lukashenko, it drove the industry into a Chinese credit trap. In 2007–2012, three cement plants — Krasnoselskstroymaterialy, the Belarusian Cement Plant, and Krichevtsementnoshifer — underwent forced modernisation financed by tied Chinese loans (over $1.2 billion). The plants acquired excess capacities that went unused and technologies that proved extremely energy-intensive. The trap lies in the fact that the loans must be repaid in foreign currency, while cement is sold primarily in roubles (domestically) or at dumping prices in Russia. Rising energy costs and exchange rate differentials turned these plants into financial zombies. Lukashenko created a system in which the plants were doomed to operate at a loss from the outset due to an unmanageable debt burden. Self-proclaimed President of Belarus Aleksander Lukashenko. Photo: Russian state media. 2. Will the enterprises be able to ensure stable and profitable operations if a positive decision on debt restructuring is taken? Even if the debts are forgiven or stretched over 20 years, the root causes of unprofitability will not disappear. The dictator continues to dictate prices on the domestic market, and all development decisions are made from above. In conditions where "the line is set by the President," economics is replaced by the task of regime survival. As long as an enterprise cannot independently determine its prices, markets, and workforce, no paper restructuring will make a plant efficient. 3. Will the plants themselves continue to modernise production to the required extent? Here we see classic negative selection. In Lukashenko's system, a director is a temporary manager whose primary task is to avoid imprisonment. Any economically sound decision — such as closing an unprofitable line or purchasing spare parts — may be interpreted as sabotage or corruption. And refusing a loss-making state order will immediately be construed as an abuse of authority. Real modernisation requires technology and capital. Managers have neither the resources nor the authority to carry out reforms. Their managerial courage ends where the Criminal Code or an instruction from Minsk begins. 4. Why can we not satisfy the domestic market with cement products? This is the most absurd paradox: there is an excess of capacity, yet there is a shortage of cement. This is the principal outcome of "wise" governance. Reason 1: The government demands foreign currency earnings from the plants. All quality cement goes for export, primarily to Russia, in order to service those same old debts. The domestic market is supplied on a residual basis. Reason 2: Shortage of raw materials and spare parts. Belarusian cement is heavily dependent on imported consumables. As soon as a Western component on a modernised Chinese line breaks down — production grinds to a halt. At this meeting, Lukashenko effectively acknowledged that the Turchin government, whatever it may be called — new or old — is timidly attempting to rescue the system through market crutches. But the dictator firmly cut off these attempts: "The President is the same. And the line is set by the President." This is a signal to the entire vertical: There will be no reforms. We will wring water from stone until the stone crumbles. His irritation at "handouts" is fear that the treasury is running dry and there is nothing left to feed the industrial giants. The cement meeting is an acknowledgement of the bankruptcy of the entire economic model. The dictator demands "to push on and work," but in a system where initiative is punishable and debts exceed revenues, this pushing leads to only one outcome — the final collapse of the industry under the weight of unpaid interest. This economic agony is the direct consequence of the usurpation of power. We address you — officials, enterprise managers, and business representatives who witness the inadequacy of the so-called "presidential line" every day.You have the opportunity to break this cycle of destruction without waiting for the final collapse of the country's independence. What can you do today? From 11 to 17 May, elections to the Coordination Council will take place. This is your chance to safely support those who offer a real path to saving Belarus. Coalition "Latushka and the Movement 'For Freedom'" We call upon you to find the strength to vote for list No. 9 — the Coalition "Latushka and the Movement 'For Freedom'". We must preserve and strengthen our democratic institutions so that the country has a legitimate foundation for replacing the dictatorship. The future of Belarus is hurtling toward the abyss — one cannot sit with folded hands. Vote.