Belarusian opposition leader Sviatlana Tsikhanouskaya says she understands Lithuania’s concerns as Vilnius is musing to close down the border with Belarus, but asks the country to leave a humanitarian corridor for Belarusians fleeing the Minsk regime’s repressions.
“We understand the danger that Belarus’ regime poses to Lithuania, because they will continue to send agents to discredit Belarusians, to antagonise us, to change the relationship between Lithuanians and Belarusians, and to make Lithuanians see us as a threat, rather than as those who oppose the regime,” she told journalists in Vilnius on Wednesday.
As Belarusians marked three years since the 2020 presidential election that sparked large-scale protests, Tsikhanouskaya met earlier on Wednesday with Lithuanian President Gitanas Nausėda.
The Belarusian opposition leader, who has been operating from Vilnius since 2020, said she conveyed the position of her compatriots that “one should not put an equal sign between Russians and Belarusians” and stressed that the prospect of European integration provides a counterbalance to the “Russian world” in Belarus.
“I am grateful to Lithuanians that they have saved so many lives and have taken in so many people, and to cross all that out now” would be unfortunate, Tsikhanouskaya told reporters.
“I offered our help in tightening checks. But the humanitarian corridor, the possibility for Belarusians fleeing repression to leave – this cannot be stopped,” she said.
Lithuania is planning to close two of its six checkpoints on the border with Belarus from August 15, with the final decision yet to be taken by the cabinet.
The move comes in response to the Russian mercenary group Wagner moving to Belarus. Lithuanian politicians and officials claim that some of the group’s mercenaries may enter Lithuania and carry out provocations.
Further reading
According to Tsikhanouskaya, the Belarusian community does not object to Lithuania’s decision, provided that the humanitarian corridor is kept open.
“This is Lithuania’s decision. As long as it does not affect in any way the mobility of Belarusians, such a measure is possible,” she said.
Tsikhanouskaya said she understands that “Lukashenko, through provocations and the relocation of Wagner closer to the borders, is forcing Lithuania and possibly Poland to take measures to strengthen controls”.
However, the Belarusian opposition leader called for understanding the motives of the majority of Belarusians who are leaving their country, and for tightening controls over sanctioned goods.
“We raised that issue today. As a possible closure of the remaining checkpoints is being considered, we are talking about the need to prevent the transit of sanctioned goods altogether, but to leave the possibility for Belarusians [...] to remain mobile,” Tsikhanouskaya said.
“Because people leave the country not because they want a better life, but because they are persecuted there,” she added.
Official statistics show that almost 31,000 temporary residence permits were issued to Belarusian citizens in Lithuania in 2022 alone.
Since the introduction of a special questionnaire last year, the authorities have refused to issue or renew permits to over 900 Belarusians deemed a threat to national security.
Further reading
Newsletter
Every Friday morning.
