Sviatlana Tsikhanouskaya met for the first time with the new Minister of Foreign Affairs of Lithuania Gabrielius Landsbergis and Vice Minister Mantas Adomėnas.
Tsikhanouskaya thanked Lithuania for the extensive assistance to Belarus and expressed hope that the new administration will continue to work in the same direction. Landsbergis, in turn, emphasized the importance of the release of political prisoners and supported free and fair elections, which should be held in Belarus as soon as possible.
Lithuania announced several major directions in further support of Belarus. One of them is the transfer of the European COVID-19 vaccine to Belarus under the supervision of the Office of Sviatlana Tsikhanouskaya, through a medical representative who will appear soon. The possibilities of implementing such assistance are being discussed now – for example, the issuance of a “vaccination visa” for receiving vaccinations in Lithuania.
The Minister reaffirmed Lithuania's intention to actively promote sanctions against the regime at the national and international levels. Lithuania will introduce a ban on entry and issuance of visas for those who participated in falsifications and committed other crimes against Belarusians.
Sviatlana Tsikhanouskaya said: “It is important for us that Lithuania simplifies migration rules for Belarusians at least in 2021. Hundreds of Belarusians are forced to live in Lithuania and other neighboring countries temporarily. It is worth considering the need for health insurance, temporary residence and work permits, the ability to legally stay in Lithuania”. Minister Landsbergis assured that these issues are being resolved, and Prime Minister Ingrida Šimonytė is closely following the process.
Under universal criminal jurisdiction in Lithuania, criminal cases related to the regime's crimes will continue to be initiated. Work is underway to establish a Coordination Center for Universal Jurisdiction in Vilnius.
Lithuania considers it essential to rename our country in Lithuanian from Baltarusija to Belarus. For this, the Office of Sviatlana Tsikhanouskaya can come up with such a proposal – and the government of Lithuania will consider it.
In connection with the September decree of the Seimas of the Republic of Lithuania on the recognition of Sviatlana Tsikhanouskaya as the duly elected leader of Belarus, Lithuania will look for opportunities to give the Office of Tsikhanouskaya official status and proposed to establish a Belarusian representative office in Lithuania.
