Bialiatski Addresses Lithuanian Seimas

Nobel laureate Ales Bialiatski addressed the Seimas of Lithuania, which on Thursday commemorated the victims of the Chernobyl nuclear disaster.

“Belarusian human rights defender and Nobel Peace Prize laureate Ales Bialiatski, who lost his mother’s native village as a result of the disaster, recalled the nuclear threat that has emerged near the Lithuanian capital Vilnius and expressed support for our country’s position: ‘The Belarusian Nuclear Power Plant is an expression of hybrid warfare aimed at destabilising the situation in Eastern Europe. Therefore, Lithuania’s position is principled and rational and deserves full support’”, the Lithuanian parliament’s press service said.

In addition to Bialiatski, speakers at the Seimas session included Ukraine’s ambassador Olha Nykyitchenko, deputy chair of the Lithuanian association “Chernobyl” Antanas Turchinas, and Seimas speaker Juozas Olekas.

As the Parliamentary Channel notes, Bialiatski also stressed that Belarus is experiencing a political “Chernobyl” as well: repression, violations of rights and freedoms, and the destruction of civil society. He recalled that around 900 political prisoners remain in detention, arrests and persecution continue, and people are being used as instruments of political bargaining.

Bialiatski also emphasised that Belarusian society, despite this, remains alive and largely opposes the war. The Nobel laureate also thanked Lithuania for supporting Belarusian democratic forces, hosting Belarusian refugees, and maintaining a consistent and principled stance toward the regime.

A meeting between Bialiatski and Seimas speaker Juozas Olekas also took place. The sides discussed preparations for an agreement on cooperation between the Lithuanian Seimas and Belarusian democratic forces. The situation of the European Humanities University, which has been designated an “extremist organisation” by the Belarusian authorities, support for political prisoners, and Lithuania’s role in this regard were also discussed. The role of the parliamentary group “For a Democratic Belarus” in building a broad parliamentary coalition in support of Belarus was also highlighted.

During the meeting, it was noted that “following previous contacts, important votes on the Belarusian agenda have taken place in the Seimas of Lithuania”. Particular thanks were expressed to “the speaker, the parliamentary group ‘For a Democratic Belarus’, and all lawmakers who did not support proposals to equate Belarusians with Russian citizens in Lithuania’s legal framework”.

Advisers to Sviatlana Tsikhanouskaya — Franak Viačorka, Anatol Liabedzka and Dzianis Kuchynski — also attended the meeting.