Belarus–Lithuania relations

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Belarusian-Lithuanian relations
Map indicating locations of Belarus and Lithuania

Belarus
Lithuania

Belarus–Lithuania relations are foreign relations between Belarus and Lithuania. The countries established diplomatic relations on 24 October 1991, shortly after the dissolution of the Soviet Union. The two countries share 680 kilometres (420 mi) of common border. Vilnius hosts multiple Belarusian civil society organizations, such as European Humanities University, Belarusian refugees such as Sviatlana Tsikhanouskaya, remains of national heroes the two countries share like Konstanty Kalinowski and has been the birthplace of Belarusian literature (Francysk Skaryna).

Lithuania's border with Belarus is the country's longest border. For Belarus it is its 3rd-longest border. Vilnius is the closest capital of an EU member state to Minsk. It is also the primary foreign shopping and air transit hub (via Vilnius and Kaunas airports) for Belarusians from Minsk and beyond.

History[]

The current territories of both countries were part of the Kingdom of Lithuania, Grand Duchy of Lithuania (and subsequently the Polish–Lithuanian Commonwealth), the Russian Empire and, ultimately, the Soviet Union (into which Lithuania was incorporated during World War II).

On 20 December 1991, the Supreme Council of Lithuania recognized the independence of Belarus, with the same happening vice versa seven days later. On 30 December 1992, an agreement on diplomatic relations was signed in Minsk.[1] The Belarus–Lithuania border is defined by a February 1995 treaty, with the ground demarcation of the border being completed in 2007.[2] Belarusian President Alexander Lukashenko made two official visits to Lithuania in 1995 and September 2009. On 27 October 2010, President Dalia Grybauskaitė became the first ever Lithuanian head of state to the Belarusian capital of Minsk, as well as the second leader of an EU member nation to visit Belarus (Italian Prime Minister Silvio Berlusconi was the first).[3] In April 2020, Lithuanian President Gitanas Nausėda and Lukashenko had the first tête-à-tête conversation in 10 years.[4] In May 2019, former President and Member of the European Parliament Rolandas Paksas paid a visit to Belarus for the first time in an official capacity, discussing proposals to stabilize the military-political situation in the Baltic Sea.[5]

Rifts in relations[]

Each country hosts opposition figures for the other, with Belarus sheltering coup-leader Vladimir Uskhopchik and Lithuania harboring Belarusian opposition figures. Lithuania has attempted to encourage a European orientation in Belarusian leadership, and has pursued trade deals and cooperation among law enforcement agencies. Sharing of information led to the arrest of Belarusian human-rights activist Ales Bialiatski, resulting in European condemnation of both countries.[6]

Lithuania has been a vocal critic of the Astravets Nuclear Power Plant which was built close to the Lithuanian capital Vilnius. On 7 February 2019, the Meeting of the Parties to the Espoo Convention decided that Belarus had violated the convention in choosing a construction site for its nuclear power plant.[7]

Following the Lukashenko government's crackdown after the disputed 2020 Belarus Presidential elections, which were widely regarded as unfree and unfair,[8] Belarusian opposition candidate Sviatlana Tsikhanouskaya fled to Lithuania.[9] On 12 August Lithuania opened its borders to all Belarusians for humanitarian purposes due to the crackdown on protests.[10] Two days later on August 14, Lithuania became the first EU state to openly reject the legitimacy of Alexander Lukashenko as the President of Belarus. Lithuanian President Gitanas Nausėda said "We can not call Mr. Lukashenko legitimate because there were no free democratic elections in Belarus".[11]

Following the Ryanair Flight 4978 incident on 23 May 2021, during which Belarus officials arrested two passengers, opposition activist and journalist Roman Protasevich and his girlfriend Sofia Sapega, the relations between the countries have further deteriorated.[12] On 25 May 2021 Lithuanian parliament announced ban for all flights from and to Lithuania via Belarus airspace.[13]

Belarus is reported to be the main source (93%) of illegally smuggled cigarettes in Lithuania.[14]

2021 migrant crisis[]

Main article: 2021 Lithuanian migrant crisis

In June 2021, Lithuanian officials claimed that Belarusian authorities could encourage illegal migration from Iraq and Syria to Lithuania by organizing groups of refugees and helping them to cross the Belarusian-Lithuanian border.[15][16] State-owned travel company Tsentrkurort was named as one of the performers of illegal migration.[16] A number of roomy planes from Bagdad and Istanbul full of possible migrants were said to land in Minsk airport.[16] Belarusian indepdendent journalists checked the airport and claimed that the majority of passengers arrived from Iraq and Turkey were men aged 30-50 who were met by two travel agencies.[17][18] It was assumed that the state support of illegal migration could be carried out for political reasons.[16] On 7 July 2021, Lithuania declared state of emergency due to influx of migrants from Belarus.[19] Statement of Alexander Lukashenko about possible emergence of armed migrants was considered to be a threat.[20]

According to investigation of Lithuanian LRT, the most frequent category of migrants, Iraqi Kurds, claimed that they were told that entering European Union via Belarus is legal. After a few days in Belarusian hotels migrants were collected, taken to the border and set the direction of movement on foot claiming that the car will wait them in Lithuania. It was reported that they paid up to €15,000 for travel and a US$3,000–4,000 deposit.[21] According to the investigation of Belarusian reform.by, people from Middle East believe that they should destroy their passport in to avoid deportation from EU.[20] Anonymous sources in Belarusian border guards claimed that their bosses started to encourage cigarette smuggling via checkpoints and to encourage gaps in border cover.[20] Another border guard told reform.by about receiving a verbal order to turn a blind eye to illegal migrants.[20]

In July 2021, Lithuanian Seimas passed a law (signed by president Gitanas Nausėda on 21 July) making deportation of illegal migrants from Lithuania easier.[22]

Year Number of illegal migrants
crossed Belarus—Lithuania border[23]
2017 72
2018 104
2019 46
2020 81
2021 (1 January — 25 July)[23] 2603

Resident diplomatic missions[]

  • Belarus has an embassy in Vilnius.
  • Lithuania has an embassy in Minsk and a consulate-general in Grodno.


  • Embassy of Belarus in Vilnius

  • Embassy of Lithuania in Minsk

See also[]

External links[]

References[]

  1. ^ Связи Литовской Республики с Республикой Беларусь
  2. ^ "The World Factbook". Retrieved 1 September 2016.
  3. ^ Rokas M. Tracevskis. "Grybauskaite's historic visit to Belarus". baltictimes. Retrieved 2010-10-27.
  4. ^ "The President discussed the Eastern Partnership and joint efforts in fighting COVID-19 with the President of Belaru". PRESIDENT OF THE REPUBLIC OF LITHUANIA.
  5. ^ "Минские переговоры – 2: как прошла встреча Паксаса и Лукашенко в Белоруссии". Baltnews (in Russian). 2019-05-02. Retrieved 2020-10-31.
  6. ^ Eastern approaches (8 August 2011). "The snitches of Vilnius". The Economist. Retrieved 13 September 2013.
  7. ^ "Belarus picked site for Ostravyets NPP in violation of convention - Espoo". Delfi. 7 February 2019. Retrieved 24 May 2021.
  8. ^ Haboush, Joseph (2020-08-10). "Belarus elections deemed unfair by US, Germany and others; candidate missing". Al Arabiya English. Retrieved 2020-08-11.
  9. ^ "Belarusian opposition leader Tikhanouskaya in Lithuania says FM". The Jerusalem Post | JPost.com. Retrieved 2020-08-11.
  10. ^ "Lithuania allows unrestricted entry to Belarusians 'for humanitarian purposes'". www.baltictimes.com. Retrieved 2020-08-13.
  11. ^ "Lithuanian Leader Says Lukashenko Lost Legitimacy As Belarusian President". UrduPoint. Retrieved 2020-08-14.
  12. ^ "Lithuania bars airport access to carriers flying over Belarus". LRT. 24 May 2021. Retrieved 24 May 2021.
  13. ^ Vyriausybė nutarė – skristi į Lietuvą nebus galima, jei skrendama virš Baltarusijos
  14. ^ Lithuania Reports Large-Scale Smuggling Of Cigarettes From Belarus
  15. ^ Lithuania says Belarus could be behind recent migrant influx
  16. ^ a b c d Belarus ‘weaponising’ illegal migration, Lithuania says
  17. ^ Што за турысты з Іраку сотнямі прылятаюць у Беларусь. ФОТА
  18. ^ Зачем прилетели в Минск из Багдада «120 врачей и фармацевтов»?
  19. ^ Lithuania declares state of emergency over migrant arrivals from Belarus
  20. ^ a b c d Кто стоит за потоком мигрантов из Беларуси в Литву. Расследование Reform.by
  21. ^ Baghdad to Lithuania: how Belarus opened new migration route to EU – LRT Investigation
  22. ^ Науседа подписал спорный закон о правовом статусе мигрантов
  23. ^ a b Да ўзброеных мігрантаў гатовыя. У Літве затрымалі яшчэ 133 мігрантаў на мяжы з Беларуссю
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