Will Europe close to Belarusians? Tsikhanouskaya's advisor revealed what he agreed on in Berlin

Illustrative photo

The European Union's plans for possible tightening of visa restrictions should not affect Belarusian citizens. This, according to Dzianis Kuchynski, Sviatlana Tsikhanouskaya's advisor on diplomacy, was stated to him during working meetings in the Federal Chancellery and the German Ministry of Foreign Affairs.

The issue of visa policy has once again been in the spotlight in recent weeks after proposals in Germany to further strengthen restrictions for Russian citizens. In particular, representatives of the ruling CDU/CSU bloc advocated for a complete halt to the issuance of Schengen visas to Russians as part of further increasing pressure on Moscow.

This raised questions among Belarusians: could new measures also extend to citizens of Belarus. That is why the topic of visas became one of the key points during Dzianis Kuchynski's working visit to Berlin.

"During consultations, I was assured that Belarusian citizens are not considered within these restrictions. If relevant decisions are made, they will primarily concern citizens of Russia, as well as those individuals who are involved in the aggression against Ukraine," he told "Nasha Niva".

According to Kuchynski, this once again confirms that the German authorities continue to adhere to the principle of distinguishing between Lukashenka's regime and the Belarusian people.

Павялічыць

Dzianis Kuchynski. Photo: "Nasha Niva"

Germany to maintain pressure on Lukashenka's regime

As Sviatlana Tsikhanouskaya's advisor reported, he held meetings in Berlin at the Federal Chancellery with Chancellor Friedrich Merz's team, as well as at the German Ministry of Foreign Affairs.

According to Kuchynski, each meeting lasted about an hour and a half, which allowed for a wide range of issues to be discussed — from regional security and Minsk's participation in Russian aggression against Ukraine to supporting Belarusian democratic forces.

According to him, the main outcome of the consultations was the confirmation that Berlin does not plan to change its policy regarding Belarus.

"Germany will continue to coordinate its actions with the European Union, maintain pressure on Lukashenka's regime, and at the same time support the Belarusian people, civil society, and democratic forces," he conveyed the position of the German side.

Travel documents and legalization

Another important topic of negotiations was the legal status of Belarusians currently residing in Germany.

Kuchynski reported that he submitted a package of proposals to the German side concerning simplifying the issuance of travel documents for Belarusians who cannot safely obtain or renew a national passport, more flexible use of humanitarian legalization mechanisms, and taking into account the specifics of Belarusian political repression when considering migration and asylum cases. The problem of people who might lose their legal status simply because they cannot renew their Belarusian passport was separately raised.

According to the advisor, the German side confirmed its readiness to study these proposals and continue working on possible solutions together with the competent authorities.

In addition, Kuchynski thanked Germany for its support to released Belarusian political prisoners and noted that the country remains one of the leaders in issuing Schengen visas to citizens of Belarus.

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