November 13, Pozirk. Belarusian opposition leader Śviatłana Cichanoŭskaja and Lithuania’s Prime Minister Ingrida Šimonytė have contributed an article about Belarusians’ and Lithuanians’ joint efforts to defend freedom and democracy.
Published on Delfi.lt, the article’s timing coincided with statements by Lithuanian politicians, including President Gitanas Nausėda, about plans to restrict Belarusian nationals’ rights and a negative reaction from members of the Lithuanian Seimas to the interior ministry’s proposal to extend the validity of residence permits for Belarusians. Some politicians and members of the public in Lithuania are reportedly concerned about “manifestations of Litvinism” – alleged claims by Belarusians to Lithuanian territories.
Belarusians and Lithuanians together stand up to the aggression of authoritarian regimes, Cichanoŭskaja and Šimonytė stressed.
The politicians urged the international community, and in particular, the European Union, to tighten sanctions and increase diplomatic pressure on Minsk and to continue supporting Belarusian civil society.
