Tsikhanouskaya tells Estonia: Let's separate regime and Belarusians

TALLINN - Belarusian opposition leader Sviatlana Tsikhanouskaya criticized on social media Estonia's decision to stop issuing the Estonian e-resident status to Belarusian citizens, Postimees reports.

Tsikhanouskaya's tweet also expressed criticism of the decision by the University of Tartu not to admit Belarusian students.

She said that the Belarusian opposition forces together with the community in Estonia supporting it are sending requests to the Estonian government calling to cancel said decisions.

"Let's separate the regime and Belarusians," Tsikhanouskaya said.

The Estonian government decided to suspend the issuance of Estonian e-resident status to Russian and Belarusian citizens in order to prevent possible circumvention of sanctions and the illegal activities of Russia and Belarus.

Minister of the Interior Kristian Jaani said that Estonia does not want the opportunities offered by the state to be used maliciously to support aggression against Ukraine.

The University of Tartu also announced on Tuesday that citizens of the Russian Federation and Belarus who do not hold an residence permit in an EU member state, a long-term visa and who are not already studying in Estonia will not be able to enroll in the university.

"With innocent people dying in Ukraine, the University of Tartu stands in solidarity with the Ukrainian academic staff and the entire state," Aune Valk, vice-rector of studies at the University of Tartu, said.