Lithuania has reduced the level of physical protection provided to Belarusian opposition leader Sviatlana Tsikhanouskaya, who has lived in Vilnius since fleeing Belarus after the disputed 2020 presidential election, Foreign Minister Kęstutis Budrys confirmed to LRT.lt.
Since Tsikhanouskaya’s arrival, Lithuania has granted the Belarusian democratic movement official accreditation and provided her with round-the-clock protection both in Lithuania and abroad. She was given Category C “official guest” status, which is usually extended to foreign ambassadors, heads of international missions accredited in Lithuania, members of foreign governments and the European Commission, among others.
However, Tsikhanouskaya does not hold diplomatic status and therefore is not entitled to diplomatic immunity.
According to LRT.lt sources, her protection and related state-provided privileges have cost Lithuania about 1 million euros annually. That total includes 24-hour security in Lithuania and abroad, vehicles for the security detail, housing expenses, and use of VIP terminals at airports.
In a written response to parliamentary questions from lawmaker Rimas Jankūnas, the Foreign Ministry said Tsikhanouskaya’s personal security arrangements are not under its direct authority. However, as an official guest, she is entitled to the use of VIP arrival and departure halls, which the ministry covers. The ministry said those services cost 129,000 euros in 2024 and 92,000 euros in 2023.
According to available information, Tsikhanouskaya’s protection has not been fully withdrawn but scaled back. Responsibility for her security has been transferred from the Dignitary Protection Service to the Criminal Police Bureau, which typically provides protection for individuals facing specific threats, such as witnesses or victims.
Although officials have not publicly commented on the decision, the change reportedly took effect October 1, with a transition period lasting until November.
“To avoid jeopardising the safety of the protected person, we cannot publicly comment on this issue, nor can we confirm or deny whether protection has been strengthened or reduced,” said Paulius Nemira, deputy director of the Dignitary Protection Service. “The measures applied by the service are classified information.”
Until now, Tsikhanouskaya had been guarded around the clock by the Dignitary Protection Service, which also protects Lithuania’s top officials – the president, the speaker of parliament, the prime minister – and former presidents and visiting state dignitaries.
The service can also protect other individuals, including officials’ family members, diplomats, the prosecutor general and current or former members of parliament, ministers or prime ministers, if deemed necessary. Decisions on extending such protection are usually made by the government or an authorised body.
Financial considerations and actual threat level
The decision to reduce security for Tsikhanouskaya was made both to manage state funds and assess actual threat levels, Lithuanian lawmaker Remigijus Motuzas said.
“This is, of course, a financial issue. It has also been said that this level of protection was not necessary,” Motuzas, chairman of the Lithuanian parliament’s Foreign Affairs Committee, told the news agency Elta.
Motuzas emphasised that the protection provided to Tsikhanouskaya will not be completely withdrawn.
“A formal protocol is being prepared. Protection will not disappear; it will be at a different level. She will not be guarded in the same way as Lithuania’s top state officials by the Dignitary Protection Service. Her security will be transferred to the Ministry of the Interior, and she will continue to have personal protection, including at her residence,” Motuzas said.
He added that for international travel, diplomatic notes will be sent to host countries to ensure her protection during visits. “This is outlined in the document, which has not yet been approved,” he said.
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