Lithuania proposes ban on foreigners tied to cultural activities in Russia, Belarus

VILNIUS - Lithuania has proposed barring foreigners who have participated in cultural activities in Russia, Belarus, or their occupied territories from entering the country.

The proposed amendment to the Law on the Legal Status of Aliens was registered by conservative MP Vytautas Kernagis and a group of parliamentarians, initiated by Vilnius Mayor Valdas Benkunskas.

"The geopolitical situation requires strict and unambiguous decisions from us. The National Security Strategy clearly states that Russia and Belarus pose a danger and threat to our security. Therefore, individuals who consciously choose to entertain the societies of these aggressors after the start of the bloody war should not be welcome in Lithuania," Kernagis said in a statement.

According to the lawmaker, this legal change will provide state institutions with clear legal tools to effectively and quickly prevent visits by such figures.

The draft proposes that a foreigner may be banned from entering Lithuania for a period of up to five years if, after February 24, 2022, they carried out cultural, entertainment, or other related activities in Russia, Belarus, or their occupied territories.

The capital's mayor stated that several years after the start of Russia's full-scale military aggression against Ukraine, situations still arise where individuals favourable to the Kremlin regime attempt to or do enter Lithuania.

"Recent cases, such as the concerts of rappers Morgenstern or Gio Pika, have clearly shown that we currently lack a functional and rapid mechanism to protect the informational and cultural space of our state and our capital," Benkunskas said.

The initiators emphasised that the amendment will not negatively impact business conditions or development, as it will apply exclusively to foreigners whose activities are directly linked to states posing a threat to Lithuania's national security.

Culture Minister Vaida Aleknaviciene, a Social Democrat, said in February that she supports the idea of restricting performances by artists who perform in Russia and Belarus.

Lithuania has made separate decisions to ban several performers who support Vladimir Putin's regime or have performed in Russia or Crimea. The most recent decision was made a month ago regarding the rapper Gio Pika (real name Georgij Dzhojev).