On Monday, 10.6.2024 Darya Gulik, a representative of the House of Helsinki organisation, participated in a parliamentary meeting to discuss the situation of Belarusians with the Finnish Belarusian Association and Member of Parliament, as well as Chairperson of the Foreign Affairs Committee, Kimmo Kiljunen. The meeting was a significant event that highlighted many of the challenges faced by Belarusians both in Finland and in their home country.
The discussion topics included the challenging human rights situation, which has raised a lot of concern. Citizens who support the Belarusian opposition are not safe in their homeland and experience pressure even in their daily lives in Finland. The Belarusian government no longer issues new passports or other important documents outside the country, such as through embassies. This poses a significant risk that the number of undocumented Belarusians in Finland and elsewhere in Europe will increase as their passports expire. This has caused a great deal of uncertainty and insecurity for many.
Kimmo Kiljunen showed strong support for the concerns of Belarusians during the meeting and promised to take these issues to the government for consideration. Kiljunen has been actively involved in supporting Belarus's democratic aspirations and is part of the "Friends of Democratic Belarus" group. His role and activism have been significant in advancing Belarusian issues in Finland and Europe. Kiljunen’s commitments and the parliament’s interest in the situation of Belarusians provide hope that these matters will be addressed more actively and effectively at the Finnish government level.
The meeting reminded us of the importance of international support and solidarity in situations where people's fundamental rights are restricted. The situation in Belarus requires continuous attention and action so that people living there can also hope for a better future.
The meeting also strengthened cooperation with the Association of Belarusians in Finland. We hope that these discussions will lead to concrete actions and improvements in the future.
Photo: Kimmo Kiljunen, representatives of the Association of Belarusians in Finland and Darya Gulik.
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