Statement by President Marcos Perestrello on Five Years Since the 2020 Fraudulent Presidential Elections in Belarus

Five years ago today, the Belarusian people protested a stolen election and were met with brutal repression and the consolidation of Alexander Lukashenka’s authoritarian rule. Those events forced the country’s legitimate leaders into exile, but also sparked a fight for freedom. Ever since, Sviatlana Tsikhanouskaya, recipient of the NATO PA's 2023 Women for Peace and Security Award, has served as the National Leader of Belarus and Head of the United Transitional Cabinet, demonstrating every day, through her remarkable commitment to the cause of a democratic Belarus, the enduring strength and unity of this movement. 

The recent release of Siarhei Tsikhanouski after five years of political imprisonment is a powerful reminder of what can be achieved through international solidarity and sustained pressure. But many more political prisoners remain behind bars, and we call for their immediate release. 

Today, we honour the extraordinary resilience and determination of the Belarusian people and their representatives in exile, who have continued to build alternative institutions, prepare for democratic transition, stood with Ukraine against Russia’s aggression and the Belarusian regime’s complicity, and supported a future for their country within the European family. 

Supporting a democratic Belarus is both a moral imperative and a strategic investment in Europe’s security. 

The NATO Parliamentary Assembly will never waiver in standing firmly with those striving for a free, sovereign, and democratic Belarus. 

The Assembly, though institutionally separate from NATO, serves as an essential link between NATO and the parliaments of the NATO nations. It provides greater transparency of NATO policies and fosters better understanding of the Alliance’s objectives and missions among legislators and citizens of the Alliance. Throughout 2025, the Assembly celebrates 70 years of parliamentary diplomacy. 

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