The Lithuanian Interior Ministry said on Friday that it is terminating its cooperation agreement with the Interior Ministry of Belarus.
Signed back in 1993, the agreement provided for cooperation in certain areas under the ministries’ responsibility.
However, its practical implementation has stopped in the wake of “unfair presidential elections” in Belarus in 2020, according to Interior Minister Agnė Bilotaitė.
“Lithuania sees no possibilities for cooperation with hostile regimes,” Bilotaitė said in a press release.
“Belarus, the Kremlin regime’s close ally that is continuing its hybrid attack against Lithuania and pushing illegal migrants into our country with the hands of its officials, cannot and will not be Lithuania’s partner either in internal affairs or in any other sphere,” she said.
Lithuania has signed a number of bilateral agreements with Belarus on cooperation in the Interior Ministry-controlled areas and their termination would require the government’s approval, as well as several inter-agency agreements.
Lithuania has also suspended the European Commission-funded cross-border cooperation programmes with Belarus and Russia.
Newsletter
Every Friday morning.
