Roberta METSOLA, President of the European Parliament, meets with Sviatlana TSIKHANOUSKAYA, Leader of the Belarusian democratic forces and Head of the United Transitional Cabinet of Belarus:. This news shows the meeting and bilateral, the signing ceremony of a letter of Intent on enhancing relations between the European Parliament and the democratic forces and civil society of Belarus and their statements.

EU - Belarus (T)

official visit

METSOLA, Roberta (EPP, MT, EP President)

Malta

EU - Malta (T)

TSIKHANOUSKAYA, Sviatlana (BY)

president's agenda

Official visit by Roberta METSOLA, EP President to Malta - Meeting with Sviatlana TSIKHANOUSKAYA, Leader of the Belarusian democratic forces and Head of the United Transitional Cabinet of Belarus

Exterior shots of Valletta (Malta) (1 shot)

Cutaways from the meeting between Roberta METSOLA, EP President and Sviatlana TSIKHANOUSKAYA, Leader of the Belarusian democratic forces and Head of the United Transitional Cabinet of Belarus (4 shots)

Roundtable between Roberta METSOLA, EP President and Sviatlana TSIKHANOUSKAYA, Leader of the Belarusian democratic forces and Head of the United Transitional Cabinet of Belarus (2 shots)

Extracts from the signing ceremony of a letter of Intent on enhancing relations between the European Parliament and the democratic forces and civil society of Belarus between Roberta METSOLA, EP President and Sviatlana TSIKHANOUSKAYA, Leader of the Belarusian democratic forces and Head of the United Transitional Cabinet of Belarus sign (7 shots)

SOUNDBITE (English), Roberta METSOLA, EP President, I'm very happy to be here as the President of the European Parliament, in the European Parliament Office in Valletta, Malta, with Sviatlana Tsikhanouskaya, an old friend of the European Parliament, a hero in our eyes and one that has led the struggle for democracy in her country, Belarus. Today we have just signed a letter of intent and cooperation between the European Parliament and the democratic forces of the opposition in Belarus, in order to continue to support Sviatlana and her colleagues. In support of civil society political prisoners that the European Parliament has long defended and long asked for their release in continuation of our condemnation of Lukashenko's illegal regime.

SOUNDBITE (English), Sviatlana TSIKHANOUSKAYA, Leader of the Belarusian democratic forces and Head of the United Transitional Cabinet of Belarus, Today is really important, an historic day for Belarus, because the democratic forces of Belarus signed a letter of agreement, of cooperation, with the European Parliament. And I'm so grateful to all the members of Parliament, and especially President Roberta Metsola, for this strong and unprecedented step. As we live in unconventional times, it needs non-conventional decisions. And the aim of this cooperation is to get Belarus out of the close of tyranny and return our country to a European family of nations where we truly belong. Together with the European Parliament, we will fight for release of political prisoners from the oppriment regime, to accountability, for strengthening our free media and civil society.

SOUNDBITE (English), Sviatlana TSIKHANOUSKAYA, Leader of the Belarusian democratic forces and Head of the United Transitional Cabinet of Belarus, Together we will work on helping persons who are living abroad now in European Union and can't return home. And of course, we will fight together against Russian tyranny for strengthening Belarusian civil society and our national identity. I think that this agreement is a recognition of heroism and strength of all the Belarusan people who are fighting for democracy. Belarus will be a truly free, independent European state. Long live Belarus! Long live Europe!

SOUNDBITE (English), Roberta METSOLA, EP President, Long live Europe! Long live Belarus!