Lithuania’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs has proposed expanding national sanctions against citizens of Belarus and Russia, LRT reported, citing BNS.
The proposed measures include restrictions on the purchase of real estate near strategic facilities and a ban on entry for individuals who support Russia’s aggression against Ukraine. Amendments to the law on national restrictive measures have been submitted for interagency consultation.
The ministry proposes banning entry to Lithuania for citizens of Belarus and Russia, as well as representatives of organizations intending to work in the fields of education, science, culture, sports, the arts and entertainment, if they are found to support the war against Ukraine, have participated in events held in Russian-occupied Ukrainian territories, or have assisted activities directed against Ukraine’s sovereignty and territorial integrity.
The restrictions would also apply to individuals who support human rights violations or repression against civil society and democratic forces in Belarus and Russia, or who pose a threat to democracy and the rule of law. Entry would also be denied to those who pursue actions or policies undermining Ukraine’s territorial integrity, sovereignty and independence, or threatening the country’s stability or security.
“Recent discussions, including at the level of local authorities, have demonstrated the need for clearer regulation of the participation in public activities in Lithuania by representatives of Russia, which is carrying out aggression against Ukraine, and Belarus, which supports it, in the fields of education, science, culture, sports, the arts and entertainment,” the ministry said in a comment.
“It is important to provide institutions with a clear legal basis for making timely, consistent and well-founded decisions so that public activities in the fields of culture and entertainment are not used for propaganda, historical distortion or the promotion of narratives aimed at influencing Lithuanian society, or exploited as a political tool,” the document said.
Under the proposal, citizens of Belarus and Russia wishing to enter Lithuania to work in education, culture, sports, the arts or entertainment would be required to sign a public declaration condemning Russia’s aggression against Ukraine and expressing support for the UN Charter, as well as Ukraine’s independence, sovereignty and territorial integrity within its internationally recognized borders. Refusal to sign the declaration would constitute grounds for denying entry.
At the same time, Belarusian and Russian citizens for whom none of the above circumstances apply would still be allowed to participate in events in Lithuania, provided they do not represent their home state and appear in a neutral capacity.
The Lithuanian Foreign Ministry also proposes restricting the purchase of real estate by Belarusian citizens near facilities of strategic importance to national security and military training grounds. Belarusian citizens holding Lithuanian residence permits would be prohibited from buying such property, while Belarusian citizens without residence permits, as well as legal entities they own, would be barred from purchasing it altogether. Similar restrictions already apply to Russian citizens.
The ministry proposes that the amendments take effect on Jan. 1, 2027.
Lithuania’s law on national restrictive measures has been in force since 2023. The country’s authorities have previously imposed separate entry bans on Russian performers who support the Kremlin’s policies or have performed in annexed Crimea.
