After meeting with the exiled opposition leader Svetlana Tikhanovskaya in Brussels on Sunday (December 12), the President of the European Commission Ursula von der Lein stated that the EU will treat the civil society of Belarus. Support for an increase of 30 million euros.
“We are increasing our support for young people, independent media, small and medium enterprises in exile, and cultural actors with an additional 30 million euros,” Von der Lein announced on Twitter.
“The European Union supports the Belarusian people’s struggle for freedom and democracy,” she wrote, adding that Tikhanovskaya is “a source of inspiration for all of us.”
Sviatrana @齐哈努斯卡娅, You are the source of inspiration for all of us.
The European Union supports the Belarusian people’s struggle for freedom and democracy. ⁰
Today, we are increasing our support to provide an additional 30 million euros for youth, independent media, small and medium enterprises in exile, and cultural actors. pic.twitter.com/KWZeQjrmQX-Ursula von der Lein (@vonderleyen) December 12, 2021
In addition to the support plan passed in December 2020, the additional cash also specifically encourages “local community and citizen group initiatives.”
It will also provide scholarship programs for students and young professionals affected by the political crisis, as well as business consulting services and support for public health initiatives.
Before the announcement on Sunday, EU assistance to Belarusian civil society had exceeded 33 million euros since August 2020.
Since the suppression of large-scale anti-government protests in Minsk last year, the Belarusian opposition has been exiled.
The country’s leader, Alexander Lukashenko, has suppressed unprecedented protests against his rule after claiming to have won a rigged election last summer, and he has since become more and more isolated. .
Tikhanovskaya, considered by the opposition to be the real winner of the presidential election last summer, has fled to neighboring Lithuania.
