Opposition politicians warn EU against isolating Belarusian society

March 29, BPN. The European Union and its member states should not isolate the Belarusian society from the world, several Belarusian opposition politicians and groups said in a joint statement.

The statement cautions against the adoption of restrictive measures against Belarusians similar to those adopted against Russians, citing anti-war sentiment in Belarusian society, its resistance to Alaksandr Łukašenka’s regime and Russia’s attempts to occupy the country.

Further restrictions against Belarusians that are currently discussed by the Lithuanian parliament would represent another step towards an iron curtain, the signatories noted.

“The vast majority of Belarusians who took part in the protests of 2020 remain in Belarus,” the statement reads. “Tens of thousands of our compatriots were forced to leave the country and are now organizing support of the democratic movement from abroad and speaking out against the Russian military aggression.”

Freedom of movement as well as opportunities to work and study in the EU remain the only effective means to support Belarusian opposition, it noted.

Belarusians would not be able to escape reprisals at home if the Czech Republic, Poland and other countries introduce visa restrictions, the statement says, noting that bans also reduce the opposition’s potential for struggle.

On March 21, Lithuanian MPs approved the first reading of a bill that would make Russians and Belarusians ineligible to apply for Lithuanian citizenship over the war in Ukraine.

The bill proposes that Lithuania stop accepting Schengen visa applications from Russian and Belarusian nationals at its visa centers abroad, except as authorized by the Lithuanian foreign ministry. The bill also bans the issue of Lithuanian national visas. The second reading of the bill was scheduled for March 30 but has been postponed until further notice.

The statement is available at Parlamentskiy Kanal, a Telegram channel linked to opposition politician Anatol Labiedźka, currently serving as an advisor on constitutional reform to opposition leader Śviatłana Cichanoŭskaja.

It has been signed by the exiled leaders of the Belarusian Social Democratic Party (Hramada), Belarusian Christian Democrats, United Civic Party, Movement for Freedom, Belarusian Popular Front, Belarusian Greens Party, Our Party and Narodnaja Hramada.