Lithuania has reinstated 117 Belarusian officials to its list of persona non grata following a 24-hour administrative lapse, the Migration Department said on Thursday.
The individuals, accused of human rights violations, were briefly removed from the list on Wednesday after authorities failed to extend the sanctions before they expired.
The Interior Ministry said it received the extension request from the Foreign Ministry on Wednesday afternoon, after the previous sanctions had already lapsed.
Interior Minister Vladislavas Kondratovičius said that while the delay created a theoretical window for the individuals to enter Lithuania, practical barriers remained.
"One should not assume that everyone can immediately travel here. It is likely that other countries have applied similar sanctions, so each case must be viewed individually. There was a theoretical possibility, but no practical opportunity," he said on Wednesday.
According to the Foreign Ministry, Minister Kęstutis Budrys submitted the proposal to re-list the 117 Belarusians on Wednesday once the necessary documentation was finalised.
Under Lithuanian law, the interior minister makes the decision to ban a foreign national from entering the country upon the recommendation of the foreign minister. The Migration Department then executes the listing.
The Belarusian officials were originally blacklisted in 2021 following the crackdown on dissent in the neighbouring country. The initial five-year entry ban was set to expire on March 24.
The ban is based on the Law on the Legal Status of Aliens, which permits entry restrictions of up to five years if there are serious grounds to believe an individual has committed crimes violating universally recognised human rights and freedoms.
The Foreign Ministry said these officials, holding various positions, contributed directly or indirectly to the rigging of the August 9, 2020, presidential election, the repression of the opposition, civil society and media, and the use of brutal force against peaceful protesters.
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