The European Union is increasing its support for Belarusian civil society by 30 million euros ($34 million), European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen said.
“We are stepping up our support with an additional 30 million euros for young people, independent media, small and medium-sized enterprises in exile, and cultural actors,” von der Leyen announced on Twitter on December 12 after meeting with exiled opposition leader Svyatlana Tsikhanouskaya.
The EU last year already announced a similar 53-million-euro support package for Belarusian civil society, independent media, business advisory services, and support for public health initiatives.
The bloc has also pledged 3 billion euros in economic support for a future democratic Belarus.
Belarus’s opposition has been exiled or imprisoned following a crackdown by strongman Alyaksandr Lukashenka’s regime after disputed elections last year.
Tsikhanouskaya, who the West and opposition say won the election, has been in exile in neighboring Lithuania.
