After Lukashenko’s ultimatum, a disturbing message from Belarus: suspension of visa issuance

“Currently, the acceptance of documents for obtaining visas both in the mission and in the visa centers has been suspended,” states the website of the Lithuanian Embassy. Such a common message appeared in Russian on Thursday afternoon. At least one visa center has already provided similar information.

The embassy took that step after the Belarusian regime ordered a reduction in the number of diplomats. The number of Lithuanian representatives should be reduced from 25 to 14. The Lithuanian ambassador has already been officially called from Belarus for consultations.

As there has been speculation that Belarusians will not be able to obtain Lithuanian visas, but the Lithuanian Foreign Ministry assured Delfi that such visa issuance problems are not related to the diplomatic crisis, the embassy in Minsk is updating the system. still available. At the end of the day, the broadcast of the system will resume at the embassy.

The crisis only deepens

The diplomatic crisis escalated last week after Anatoly Hlaz, representative of the Belarusian Ministry of Foreign Affairs, pointed out that due to the “apparently destructive activities” of the Polish and Lithuanian diplomats, they had been offered to change the composition of their missions. before October 9, 2020.

For two months now, representatives of the Belarusian regime have been accusing various countries, including Lithuania, of alleged hostile actions. Lithuania, like other EU countries, announced sanctions on Aliaksandr Lukashenko’s regime after it rigged the August 9 presidential election and declared him the winner. The regime used brute force against massive demonstrations in Belarus, with thousands of people arrested and physically and psychologically abused.

Lithuania not only approved a sanctions list, but also officially called Lukashenko a former head of state illegal or whose formal term expires in November. In response to the actions of Lithuania and other EU countries, Belarus announced its own sanctions, and Lukashenko repeatedly lobbied Vilnius and Warsaw, even threatening to use military force against alleged provocations by its western neighbors.

Lithuania has followed and continues to pursue a moderate but principled policy, does not recognize the Lukashenko regime and deplores the unproductive actions of Belarus.