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Welcoming Ms Tsikhanouskaya, the Speaker of the Parliament stressed that Cyprus condemns in the strongest possible terms any form of violation of international law, democracy, human rights and the rule of law, wherever it comes from. We as Cyprus have an additional reason to remain firmly committed to principles that have been brutally violated in our country for fifty years as a result of the invasion and continued occupation by Turkey of the territory of the Republic of Cyprus, which is a territory of the European Union (EU). The President pointed out that the Republic of Cyprus fully implements the sanctions adopted by the EU against the Lukashenko regime in Belarus, as well as against Russia for its invasion of Ukraine. Demetriou expressed concern about the situation of political prisoners and the violation of human rights and political freedoms in Belarus. She stressed that the EU must take a more active and decisive role in tackling totalitarian regimes and actions that threaten democracy, noting that the slide in democratic values is reinforcing the rise of extremist elements and should be a matter of concern for the EU in view of the upcoming European elections and more generally.
Ms Tsikhanouskaya expressed her thanks for the opportunity to inform the President of the Parliament about the political and humanitarian crisis her country is experiencing and her deep appreciation for the principled stance taken by Cyprus in relation to what is happening in Belarus and on the issue of Ukraine. Ms Tsikhanouskaya briefed the President of the Parliament on her activities, stressing that she continues her struggle aimed at holding free democratic elections in Belarus and supporting Ukraine in its struggle to defend its sovereignty and territorial integrity and European principles. Ms Tsikhanouskaya also expressed disappointment at the indecisiveness of the international community and the inadequate content of EU sanctions against the Lukashenko regime, which, she pointed out, is often circumvented and therefore important to strengthen.
Finally, the Speaker and Ms Tsikhanouskaya exchanged views on possible ways to mitigate humanitarian issues faced by the Belarusian diaspora and in particular by Belarusians residing in Cyprus.
(Text as sent by the House of Representatives)
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