Since fleeing Belarus after the disputed 2020 presidential election, opposition leader Sviatlana Tsikhanouskaya has been a prominent figure based in Lithuania. While she has received broad support from Lithuanian officials and the public, some critics have questioned how much taxpayers are spending to host her and her team.
Recent attention to the issue was sparked by the arrival in Vilnius of Tsikhanouskaya’s husband, Siarhei Tsikhanouski, who was recently released after five years in prison in Belarus. Speculation once again surfaced online, including the unsubstantiated claim that Tsikhanouskaya receives a €35,000 monthly stipend from Lithuania.
That claim, which first circulated in 2021, has been repeatedly denied by both Lithuania’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Tsikhanouskaya’s office.
“The Lithuanian government ensures the security of the leader of Belarus’s democratic forces,” the ministry told LRT.lt, emphasising that supporting democratic movements in Belarus aligns with Lithuania’s national security interests. Tsikhanouskaya is hosted in Lithuania as an official guest of the government, the ministry added.
Anna Krasulina, a spokesperson for Tsikhanouskaya’s office, also dismissed the claims of large-scale financial support as disinformation fuelled by Minsk and Moscow.
“Neither the office nor Tsikhanouskaya receives any funds from the Lithuanian state,” she said. “The Lithuanian government benevolently takes care of Ms Tsikhanouskaya’s security […] and offers political support. Lithuanian diplomats occasionally offer logistical support for international travel.”
She added that the office is funded through European Union grants and private donations, not Lithuanian tax revenue. In 2023, the legal entity managing the office reported an income of €122,929, according to Lithuania’s Centre of Registers.
Krasulina noted that multiple countries, including Sweden, Poland, Germany, and the United Kingdom, as well as the European Commission, provide funding for Belarusian civil society, political prisoners, and independent media.
“Lithuania’s support is primarily political,” she said. “It stands out internationally in advocating for accountability and free Belarus at forums like the United Nations and the OSCE and offers humanitarian visas and residence permits to thousands of Belarusians fleeing repression.”
Tsikhanouskaya’s diplomatic adviser, Dzianis Kuchynski, confirmed that Lithuania covers some security-related expenses and possibly housing but not salaries or office operations.
“Neither Tsikhanouskaya nor her team receives direct financial support from Lithuania, except in rare cases […] under general integration programs,” he told LRT.lt.
He said the office operates with a compact team of 30 to 40 people, most of whom are not employed full-time. Only a small number have formal contracts, while others work on a freelance basis. Official records show just one full-time employee.
Staff are paid through international projects, often earning less than Lithuania’s average wage – about €2,000 before taxes, according to Kuchynski. The team’s funding comes primarily from European and US donors, he added, noting that the office does not seek donations from Belarusians.
“Instead, we urge people to support political prisoners’ families, civil society, culture, free media, and Ukraine,” he said.
In contrast, Siarhei Tsikhanouski, shortly after his release, launched a fundraiser seeking €200,000 for his international work but expressed disappointment after receiving only €1,000 in the first few days. He stated that he is not under state protection, unlike his wife.
Kuchynski said he does not expect Tsikhanouski’s arrival to significantly increase Lithuania’s expenses, as Belarusian human rights groups are currently assisting him.
He rejected portrayals of the opposition office as living lavishly in exile.
“This is not a job for profit, but a mission,” he said.
“Many of us have been convicted, lost property, […] our family members have been persecuted.”
Working in the private sector would be easier and bring better pay, Kuchynski noted. “We stay because our goal is returning to a free homeland,” he said. “Meanwhile, Lithuania is our temporary home and we’re thankful for its people’s support.”
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