Lithuania expresses solidarity with Belarusian people, condemns Lukashenko regime

VILNIUS - Lithuania expressed its solidarity with the people of Belarus and condemned the Lukashenko regime on the 4th anniversary of the protests that erupted after the Belarusian presidential election that the West considers rigged.

Lithuania's position towards the Lukashenko regime is "strictly uncompromising", Lithuania's Foreign Ministry said on Friday.

"We do not recognize Lukashenko as president, we consider his regime illegitimate and we seek his full international isolation, sanctions and criminal liability for repression in Belarus and support for Russia in its war against Ukraine," the Foreign Ministry said.

In the interests of the Kremlin, the Lukashenko regime continues its aggressive imperialist policy of Russification, pursuing the economic, military and cultural subjugation of Belarus to Moscow, and is complicit in Russia's military aggression against Ukraine, the statement reads.

According to the Foreign Ministry, Belarus and Lithuania share historical ties, a common struggle against Russian domination and a European cultural heritage. Lithuania therefore strongly supports the aspirations of the Belarusians to ensure that their country and national identity remain part of the European political, cultural and economic space.

Following the August 9, 2020 presidential election, unprecedented protests erupted in Belarus after Lukashenko announced that he had been elected for a sixth consecutive term, and the authorities launched a large-scale crackdown on dissidents, journalists and activists.

Having challenged Lukashenko, Belarusian opposition leader Sviatlana Tsikhanouskaya was forced to flee the country and now continues her political activities from Vilnius. Representatives of the Belarusian civil society and the opposition met in Vilnius in early August and confirmed Tsikhanouskaya as their leader until democratic elections are held in their country.

On Friday, to mark the fourth anniversary of the protests, the Belarusian opposition is organizing a rally of Belarusians in Lithuania in central Vilnius against the Lukashenko regime. Several hundred people are expected to attend.