More about this in TV3 news.
Over 60,000 Belarusians currently live in Lithuania. Many from their homeland began to flee the regime in 2020, after the dictator Lukashenka illegally became the next president, when people who fought against the Batka dictatorship began to be crowded into prisons by the regime. Lukashenka’s and Putin’s methods are the same – beating the regime with a stick and pushing into a car.
Mass fleeing from Belarus
So Belarusians began to flee the country en masse, many to neighboring Lithuania. And since then, Belarusians have been constantly organizing protests and trying to prove to Lithuanians that although Putin and Lukashenka come from the same apple tree, the nation is not the same.
However, the Lithuanian spec. security analyzes of the services show that a large number of Belarusians who have settled with us may pose a serious threat to the country. Especially if they will be recruited and blackmailed by Lukashenka’s KGB when they return home.
“Some persons temporarily living in Lithuania are like information couriers who receive certain tasks, possibly arrive, collect information in Lithuania, and go to Belarus periodically,” says committee chairman Arvydas Pocius.
“If you are a political refugee, you will always be able to work here, create a life, model the future. But if we see as a state that we are no longer able to control the number, we have to adopt restrictive measures”, assures Minister of National Defense Laurynas Kasčiūnas.
Stopped accepting visa applications
However, the Seimas, when adopting the law on the extension of restrictive measures for Belarusians, did not approve the clause on the restriction of Belarusians’ trips to their homeland.
“We will, of course, say thank you for that vote, and we will discuss what our politicians can do together with Lithuanians to fight against Lukashenka and Putin,” says Belarusian opposition representative Anatolijus Lebedko.
“There is a threat of recruitment regardless of whether you are Belarusian or Lithuanian, and regardless of which border you cross to the same Belarus,” says Seimas member, liberal Vytautas Mitalas.
However, the Seimas suspended the acceptance of visa applications from citizens of Russia and Belarus. Also, border guards will additionally assess the risks of Belarusian citizens crossing the border due to the threat they pose and, if necessary, will carry out a more detailed inspection.
Learn more about it in the video report at the top of the article.
