DISINFO: Lithuania does not need “ordinary Belarusians”
SUMMARY
Lithuania does not want (as political refugees) “ordinary Belarusians” like students, teenagers, public servants. The country wants to attract only well-paid specialists, especially from the sector of IT.
RESPONSE
Recurring pro-Kremlin disinformation narrative about Lithuania and Belarus.
In mid-August 2020 Lithuania opened a humanitarian corridor for politically prosecuted Belarusians. The decision was made when the Belarusian regime launched a brutal crackdown against protesters. Protest in Belarus begun after presidential elections on August 9, 2020. People revolted against election fraud and police violence towards thousands of rally participants.
On December 2020 Lithuanian Government also decided to issue Lithuanian national visas free of charge to regime-persecuted Belarusians. Use a humanitarian corridor or get free Lithuanian national visa could all citizens of Belarus who are at risk of reprisals.
In Vilnius is also home for European Humanitarian University, oriented especially for students from Belarus. The special programme of support and grants for students from Belarus was also launched by Vilnius university.
From August 2020 till February 2021 citizens of Belarus got 792 permits to enter Lithuania on humanitarian grounds. 367 people made use of them.
See other narratives of disinformation against Lithuania in the context of events in Belarus: Lithuania constantly interferes in the affairs of Belarus; Poland and Lithuania are directly controlling the coup in Belarus; Minsk will punish Lithuania economically for its support to the Belarusian opposition.