Lithuania Extends Sanctions on Russian & Belarusian Citizens

The Parliament of Lithuania has extended and tightened sanctions against nationals of Russia and Belarus for another year.

In line with the recent decision, Russian nationals who travel to Russia or Belarus more than once every three months will be stripped of their right to stay in Lithuania, Schengen.News reports. 

However, the parliament of Lithuania did not apply the same measure to Belarusian citizens, according to a report from LRT. 

Attempts to treat Russians and Belarusians the same were opposed by some parliamentarians in Lithuania.

During the final vote, restrictions were approved for Russian nationals but not for Belarusian nationals. 

The new changes mean that people holding Russian passports will lose their residence permits in Lithuania if they travel to Russia or Belarus more than once within a three-month period, without an objective reason.

Russians & Belarusians’ Regimes Create Serious Counterintelligence Threats 
The Leader of the opposition conservatives also said that the regimes of Russia and Belarus, using the same methods against Lithuania, can recruit or influence their citizen,s therefore creating a serious counterintelligence threat for Lithuania. 

Intelligence Services in Lithuania have called on politicians to impose stricter restrictions on Belarusians, stressing that they cannot screen all new people who reach the country. 

In 2023, Lithuania passed a law under which it stopped accepting national and Schengen visa applications from Russian or Belarusian nationals. However, some exemptions were applied, such as when the process is mediated by Lithuania’s Foreign Ministry. 

The sanctions against Russia came soon after Russia’s invasion of Ukraine. 

Russians crossing the European Union’s external border into Lithuania are subject to extra individual controls, after, according to Lithuanian authorities, their arrival could pose a serious national security, public health, public order or international relations with Lithuania. 

In March this year, three opposition MPs from Lithuania’s conservative Homeland Union proposed to tighten residence rules for nationals of Russia and Belarus. 

Laurynas Kasčiūnas, Audronius Ažubalis, as well as Valdas Rakutis have proposed to revoke Lithuanian residence permits for Russians and Belarusians making frequent visits to their home country.

Source: https://schengenvisainfo.com/news/lithuania-extends-sanctions-on-russian-belarusian-citizens/