Den 12 juni överlämnade Belarus rättmätiga och valda president Sviatlana Tsikhanouskaya utmärkelsen The Cross of Good Neighbourliness till Björn Söder för hans arbete för den belarusiska demokratiska oppositionen. Ceremonin ägde rum i Free Belarus Museum i Warszawa.
Björn höll ett kortare anförande i samband med mottagandet:
I am deeply grateful and honoured to have received The Cross of Good Neighbourliness today in Warsaw from Belarusian President-Elect Mrs. Sviatlana Tsikhanouskaya.
To be recognised by the United Transitional Cabinet is something I accept with both gratitude and humility. I do not see this award primarily as recognition of what has been done, but as a reminder of what still remains to be done.
Because the struggle for a free Belarus is not over.
More than five years have passed since the Belarusian people courageously stood up for democracy, freedom and human dignity.They spoke with their votes, with their voices, and with their peaceful protests. Yet their democratic choice was stolen by a regime that continues to rule through fear, repression and violence.
Thousands have been imprisoned. Countless lives have been disrupted. Families have been separated. Independent media have been silenced. Civil society has been attacked. And far too many brave Belarusians remain behind bars simply because they dared to dream of freedom.
But despite all of this, the democratic movement of Belarus has not been defeated.
It continues to inspire people across Europe and around the world.
Over the years, we have already achieved much together.
Through cooperation with Hepatica Foundation, through seminars, advocacy efforts and international engagement, we have worked to keep the plight of Belarus in the public eye. Last year, we also organised the exhibition Belarus – Art from Behind Bars in the Swedish Parliament, giving political prisoners a voice through their art and reminding us all that behind every statistic stands a human being with hopes, dreams and loved ones waiting for their return.
But this is only the beginning.
Within the OSCE Parliamentary Assembly, I have taken the initiative for the Swedish delegation to serve as a proxy for the Belarusian democratic opposition. I am proud that we have been able to establish this cooperation, ensuring that the voices of democratic Belarus continue to be heard within an important international parliamentary forum.
I look forward with great confidence to developing this cooperation further. Together, we can strengthen the presence of the democratic opposition within the Assembly, build support among parliamentarians from across the OSCE region, and continue to challenge the regime’s attempts to silence the Belarusian people.
Because the future of Belarus belongs neither to dictators nor to the situation with political prisoners.
It belongs to the Belarusian people.
Therefore, we must continue our work.
We must continue to support the democratic opposition.
We must continue to demand the release of every political prisoner.
We must continue to defend truth against propaganda, freedom against oppression, and democracy against dictatorship.
And one day, I am convinced, Belarus will be free.
One day, the prisoners of conscience will walk free.
And one day, Alyaksandr Lukashenka will be held accountable for his crimes and end up where he belongs: behind bars, not in the presidential palace.
Until that day comes, we must not give up.
Thank you for this great honour.
Long live a free and democratic Belarus
