Lithuania may consider equal restrictions for Belarusians, Russians – President Nausėda

July 4, BPN. Lithuania will soon have to resume discussions on subjecting Belarusians to the same restrictive measures as Russians, Lithuanian President Gitanas Nausėda told the LNK TV channel.

He linked possible new restrictions to the potential presence of the Russian Wagner Group in Belarus.

Armed mercenaries may disguise themselves as Belarusian nationals, he noted. “I do not scare, I just suggest thinking very carefully about the situation we are now in,” Delfi reported quoting the president. “These guys clearly have no scruples and . . . can be used for some malicious purposes.”

This spring, Lithuanian MPs approved restrictions for Russian nationals in Lithuania. Belarusians were excluded from most of the restrictions after extensive debates. Nausėda vetoed the law, seeking the same restrictions for Belarusians and Russians, yet the parliament overrode the veto.

On June 23, Wagner Group leader Yevgeny Prigozhin called for an armed rebellion to oust the Russian defense minister.

He later halted the mutiny as a result of agreements reached with Alaksandr Łukašenka and other officials. Vladimir Putin let the mercenary boss go to Belarus. The Belarusian ruler confirmed Prigozhin’s presence in the country on June 27.

On July 2, Wagner Group said it was suspending recruitment of new members for a month due to relocation to Belarus.