A bill was registered in the Lithuanian Seimas proposing to revoke residence permits from Belarusians who have visited their home country more often than once a month over the period of 12 months.
Sviatlana Tsikhanouskaya: “At the moment, this is not a new law, but only a bill. We are in touch with members of the Seimas – and we will try to convince them that amendments in this form should not be adopted.
After all, people fleeing political persecution cannot return home to help their loved ones, attend relatives’ funerals, or show their children their native places. And those who can cross the border without fear of ending up in prison do so not to show their love for Lukashenka or support military aggression against Ukraine, but to run personal errands.
In conversations with European politicians, I emphasize that we need to isolate the Lukashenka regime, not Belarusians. We are well aware of what concerns our Lithuanian partners. The Ryanair plane hijacking, the migration crisis, the regime’s involvement in the war, provocations at the border, and the dictator’s statements cause concern for the country’s security. But at the same time, we should remember: the responsibility for this lies not with Belarusians, but with Lukashenka.
The regime also seeks to sow discord between Belarusians and Lithuanians. Like Lithuania, we are concerned with identifying provocateurs and maintaining friendly relations between the people. After all, in the future, we hope to see not a high wall on the western border, but open doors – with Europe as a good partner.
At the same time, I want to address Belarusians. Please, do not travel to Belarus if it poses a risk to you! Good intentions are not worth ending up behind bars. Extending documents or selling real estate will not make you happy if you can’t tap into the results of your trip. Let alone do not cross the border if you have been granted a humanitarian visa or political asylum. Because this is not only a signal for the regime to pay increased attention to you but also a reason for the Lithuanian authorities to revoke your temporary residence permit since your inability to return to the country was the basis for its issuance”.
