This month's process in Belarus cannot be called 'election' – Skvernelis

VILNIUS – The process that set to take place in Belarus later this month cannot be called an election, Lithuanian Seimas Speaker Saulius Skvernelis says.

"The key message is that we cannot call the process that will take place in Belarus an election. We should not wait for that farce to happen and then make some political decisions. We can assume in advance that this has nothing to do with an election," Skvernelis said on Tuesday after his meeting with Belarusian opposition leader Sviatlana Tsikhanouskaya.

Belarus will hold a presidential election on January 26, 4.5 years after mass protests erupted in Belarus over alleged vote-rigging. Lithuanian Foreign Minister Kestutis Budrys has already called it "an event organized by the regime to re-elect Alexander Lukashenko".

Tsikhanouskaya hopes that the international community would not recognize Lukashenko as the legitimate leader of her country.

"What will happen in Belarus at the end of January has nothing in common with an election. (...) In this situation, it will be imitation, it will be Lukashenko's ritual, his re-appointment, and of course we encourages our partners' to recognize this so called election," she said.

"I think that the Lithuanian parliament will adopt a resolution on the non-recognition of this so called election. Also, there will be a statement from the government just to make clear that Lukashenko does not have the right to represent," Tsikhanouskaya said.

Dubbed Europe's last dictator, Lukashenko has been in power since 1994. The political parties that are allowed to operate in the country support his re-election.

Tsikhanouskaya also pointed out that the democratic forces in her country were in a difficult situation and that the future situation in Belarus was strongly linked to the outcome of the Russian war in Ukraine.

She vowed to continue to exert pressure on the regime, to strengthen civil society, national identity, and ties between Belarusians and other nations.

"We are preparing for a window of opportunity when Lukashenko will be as weak as possible and our side will be strong enough to defeat the regime," the opposition leader said.

Western sanctions were imposed on Belarus after the 2020 vote, which sparked mass protests across the country and led to a crackdown on the opposition that continues to this day. The repressions have led to the detention of around 65,000 people and the imprisonment or exit of key opposition figures. Tsikhanouskaya herself fled Belarus after the presidential election.

Most of these people have fled to Lithuania. Data from Lithuania's Migration Department shows that some 59,000 Belarusian citizens had residence permits in Lithuania on December 1.

Taking its national security interests into account, Lithuania has certain restrictions on Belarusian citizens in place and now temporarily refuses to accept their applications for Schengen and national visas. Belarusians are also subject to additional border and find it harder to get residence permits.

Skvernelis says the existing restrictions are aimed at maintaining the status quo.

On the other hand, he said, the integration of Belarusian citizens in Lithuania is currently limited due to tensions over decisions and attitudes.

"The community we have here, if we look at it long-term, integration processes could be simpler. When there is no clarity, when you have to live on suitcases, integration cannot be successful," he pointed out.