Belarusian opposition leader Sviatlana Tsikhanouskaya, who is residing in Vilnius, warns against “building an iron curtain”, as conservative MPs propose tightening residence rules for Russian and Belarusian citizens.
“I think what has to be punished is Lukashenko’s regime, but we have to be open for the people. I understand the issue of security for Lithuania, and I fully respect this. There are probably people who cannot be allowed to return to Lithuania, for example, if there are some concerns about this person,” Tsikhanouskaya told reporters in the Lithuanian parliament on Tuesday.
“But overall, we need to keep these people-to-people ties open, because the Lithuanian border is the border that connects Belarusians who are in Lukashenko’s prison now with the free world. We ask you not to build an iron curtain,” she added.
Earlier this month, conservative MPs Laurynas Kasčiūnas, Audronius Ažubalis and Valdas Rakutis tabled a bill that would stop issuing residence permits for Belarusian citizens, like those for Russians, if they do not have a valid visa. Moreover, the bill would revoke existing permits for Russian or Belarusian citizens if they have travelled home more than once within three months.
The authors of the bill argue that these people could be recruited by Belarusian intelligence services and might be asked to perform “certain intelligence functions”.
In early March, the government’s proposal to extend national sanctions against Russian and Belarusian citizens for another year passed its first reading in the parliament.
The law imposing restrictive measures in response to military aggression against Ukraine was first passed in Lithuania in 2023. It aims to show support for Ukraine and restrict certain rights of citizens from Russia and Belarus.
The sanctions were updated and extended last year. The government is proposing to extend the law, which is set to expire on May 3, by one year, until May 2, 2026.
The law suspended the acceptance of applications for Schengen and national visas from Russian and Belarusian citizens, except in cases where the Lithuanian Foreign Ministry acts as an intermediary. Lithuania also refuses to accept their residence permit applications, with exceptions made only for those with a valid Schengen or national visa or residence permit in Lithuania or another EU member country.
Russians and Belarusians entering Lithuania from outside the EU are subject to additional checks.
They are also prohibited from bringing or taking Ukrainian hryvnias, and the import of agricultural products and feed originating in Russia or Belarus is banned.
The law bars Russian citizens without residence permits in Lithuania from purchasing real estate in the country.
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