Leading representatives of democratic forces from Belarus as well as civil society and journalists joined members of the Council of Europe Parliamentary Assembly, Finnish Parliament and representatives of the Congress to discuss building a democratic future for Belarus, in Helsinki on 11-12 January 2024.

The Congress was represented by Stewart Dickson, Chairperson of the Council for Democratic Elections, and Jani Kokko, Vice-President of the Congress.

Spokesperson Dickson praised the efforts of Belarusian democratic forces in embracing, implementing, and promoting the values of human rights, democracy, and the rule of law. He commended their commitment to embody a unified democratic front, respective of pluralistic political affiliations.

He highlighted international standards on elections and stated that “local and regional elections are the bedrock of a healthy and functioning democracy”.

The “Helsinki Dialogue” event was jointly organised by the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe and the Parliament of Finland. It featured six panel discussions on the current geopolitical context around Belarus, Belarusian national identity, political prisoners, strengthening support for democratic forces in the country, electoral matters, and the creation of a representative body of the Belarusian people.