Lithuanian lawmakers have dismissed as “absurd” a recent suggestion by Belarusian opposition figure Siarhei Tsikhanouski to create autonomous Belarusian “islands” abroad, though they do not view the opposition as a threat to national security.
In early July, Tsikhanouski – recently released from prison – said in a YouTube interview that, if efforts to overthrow President Alexander Lukashenko’s regime fail, exiled Belarusians could establish semi-autonomous communities outside their homeland.
“I want to live in Belarus – I thought a lot about that in prison,” Tsikhanouski said. “If Belarusians don’t want to fight or believe in me, let them believe in someone else. The point is to keep fighting and achieve results. If that doesn’t work... I’ll start building these islands. Russia had a German autonomous district, something like that. There were Jewish ones too. We can develop this way. A country is its people.”
Politicians: no threat, but no place for autonomy
Chair of Lithuania’s parliamentary National Security and Defence Committee, Giedrimas Jeglinskas, called the idea “absurd” and urged caution when interpreting such statements.
“We must first and foremost defend our national interest – that’s our main task,” he told BNS. “We now have 20,000 Russian-speaking people in Lithuania who have arrived in the last few years. This is not only an economic opportunity but also a national security risk. If we start talking about islands and autonomous regions… I don’t know, it sounds rather unbelievable to me.”
Remigijus Motuzas, head of the Foreign Affairs Committee, echoed the criticism.
“We are in the European Union, which is highly integrated. Historical and international experience shows that such ‘islands’ never prove sustainable. Only integration does,” Motuzas said.
He warned that such ideas could undermine the goals of the Belarusian opposition.
“If we establish these islands, we might suggest we’re giving up on democratic change in Belarus or don’t see a future for the country,” he said. “I believe that only in cooperation with Lithuania, with its democratic forces, and with international partners can we bring about a democratic Belarus.”
Motuzas added that there had been no discussions with Lithuanian politicians about the formation of such enclaves.
“We’ve created a Friends of Belarus group in the Seimas [parliament] and meet regularly, but this has never come up,” he said.
Ministry: Belarusians have the right to discuss their future
In a written response to BNS, the Foreign Ministry said that Belarusians are entitled to debate their future.
“Citizens of Belarus have the right to discuss the future of their country and compatriots. Lithuania consistently supports the vision of an independent, sovereign and democratic Belarus, where the rights of all citizens are respected,” the ministry stated.
Passport controversy and misunderstandings
Recent public debate has also centred around so-called “passports” issued by the Belarusian opposition based in Lithuania. The documents sparked backlash in 2023 for inaccurately depicting the borders of Lithuania and Belarus. The use of the Pahonia symbol – the Belarusian equivalent of Lithuania’s Vytis – on the passport covers also incensed some Lithuanians.
Motuzas believes these controversies stem more from unfamiliarity than from any actual threat.
“I don’t think there’s a real danger here, but we must remain vigilant. I think much of this is due to a lack of knowledge,” he said.
Tsikhanouski: from prison to exile
Tsikhanouski, 46, was released from prison in June after more than five years behind bars. He was sentenced in 2021 to 18 years for allegedly organising riots and inciting hatred, with an additional 18-month term added later for disobedience.
He had planned to run against Lukashenko in Belarus’s 2020 presidential election but was arrested just weeks before the vote. His wife, Sviatlana Tsikhanouskaya, entered the race in his place and later became one of the opposition leaders. She fled to Lithuania after the disputed election.
After his release, Tsikhanouski affirmed that his wife would remain the political leader of the opposition.
‘No one will create any islands in Lithuania’
Belarusians have no intention of building “autonomous zones” on Lithuanian soil, and their goal is to return home, Dzianis Kuchynski, head of the International Relations Department at Sviatlana Tsikhanouskaya’s office, said on Tuesday.
“Siarhei is calling on people to keep fighting, to seek unity and not give up,” Kuchynski said in a comment. “We have never challenged, and will never challenge, Lithuania’s sovereignty and territorial integrity.”
“No one will ever create any islands in Lithuania. That is simply absurd. [...] We want to return home to Belarus as soon as possible. That is why we continue our struggle,” he said.
Kuchynski said the opposition encourages Belarusians living in Lithuania to learn the Lithuanian language. He also noted that Tsikhanouski himself has pledged to start studying it.
“Let's not forget that we, Belarusians and Lithuanians, share the same enemies – the Lukashenko regime and the imperialist regime of Vladimir Putin. Let’s not create artificial hostility between Belarusians and Lithuanians. We, the Belarusians, are your friends and allies. Our common enemies are in the Kremlin and in Minsk,” Tsikhanouskaya’s diplomatic advisor said.
He also said that Belarusians in Lithuania are “deeply grateful to the Lithuanian people for the chance to live here temporarily”.
‘Misunderstanding’
Tsikhanouski himself said on Tuesday that he had been misunderstood, responding to public outrage over his remarks about creating autonomous Belarusian zones in Lithuania.
“I regret that I was misunderstood. No one will ever create any autonomous districts or islands in Lithuania,” the former political prisoner said in a statement. “Belarusians are immensely grateful to Lithuania for its hospitality, and we respect Lithuania’s sovereignty and territorial integrity.”
Tsikhanouski said he had been talking about establishing Belarusian business hubs to help his compatriots stay connected and preserve their language and culture.
“Our goal is to take back our country. And while we are in exile, we must not lose touch with each other,” he said in the statement.
Tsikhanouski emphasised that Belarusians who have found refuge in Lithuania respect the country and take inspiration from Lithuanians.
“I personally told President Nausėda and (Foreign) Minister Budrys that I will be indebted to Lithuania for life for saving my children,” the opposition activist said.
“Belarusians respect and will always respect your state, your independence, your culture and your language. I urge Belarusians to learn Lithuanian, and I myself intend to enrol in Lithuanian language courses,” he added.
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