Maria Kalesnikava, a leading Belarusian opposition figure recently freed from prison, urged Lithuanian authorities on Tuesday to restore more intensive transport links with Belarus, including resuming passenger rail and bus services, Lithuanian officials said.
Kalesnikava called for restarting passenger train services between Minsk and Vilnius and restoring bus connections, according to Mindaugas Sinkevičius, chairman of Lithuania’s ruling Social Democratic Party, who met with her in Vilnius.
Lithuania has closed most of its border checkpoints with Belarus and has significantly reduced passenger bus services between the two neighbouring countries amid heightened security concerns.
Sinkevičius said he congratulated Kalesnikava on her release following diplomatic efforts by the United States and direct talks with Minsk. He said the opposition leader also urged Lithuania and other European countries to support US engagement with Belarus.
“The US strategy today includes normalising Belarus’ behaviour in the region, strengthening its sovereignty and ensuring greater autonomy from Russia,” Sinkevičius wrote on Facebook after the meeting. “This is important and beneficial for Lithuania’s national security, and therefore we support these efforts.”
According to Sinkevičius, Kalesnikava said this year could mark a turning point for Belarus, potentially leading to the release of all remaining political prisoners. He added that he stressed the need for Lithuania and its partners to clearly define short-, medium- and long-term goals in their Belarus policy.
“From normalising Belarus’ behaviour and de-escalation, moving toward transforming the current political system, to the long-term goal of democratisation and Belarus’ return to the European political and economic space – becoming a neighbour we can trust,” he said.
Prime Minister Inga Ruginienė also met Tuesday with Kalesnikava and her sister, Tatsiana Khomich, congratulating the opposition leader on her release after five years in prison. The prime minister said Lithuania supports US diplomatic efforts aimed at freeing all political prisoners in Belarus.
“We are cooperating with US president’s special envoy John Coale, whose diplomatic efforts are producing tangible results, both in freeing political prisoners and in strengthening security in the region,” Ruginienė said in a statement. “These steps are extremely important to us, as they also contribute to strengthening Lithuania’s national security.”
Kalesnikava thanked Ruginienė for Lithuania’s consistent support for Belarusian civil society and the democratic movement, as well as assistance to political prisoners after their release, the government said.
Ruginienė said Lithuania would continue to press for the release of all remaining political prisoners in Belarus and maintain support for the country’s civil society and democratic opposition.
Belarus freed 123 political prisoners on December 13 following talks with the United States. Those released included Nobel Peace Prize laureate Ales Bialiatski, opposition activists Kalesnikava and Maksim Znak, former presidential hopeful Viktar Babaryka, and writer and public activist Pavel Seviarynets. Media reports said Washington lifted sanctions on Belarusian potash fertiliser exports in exchange for the releases.
A flutist by profession, Kalesnikava campaigned for banker Babaryka during the 2020 presidential election. After his arrest, she joined the team of opposition leader Sviatlana Tsikhanouskaya and became one of the most prominent figures in mass protests against the rule of President Alexander Lukashenko. She was sentenced to 11 years in prison in 2021.
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