Lithuania may extend sanctions for russian and Belarusian citizens for another year

Lithuania plans to extend national sanctions against russians and Belarusians for another year as russia continues its war in Ukraine.

This is envisaged by an amendment to the law drafted by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Lithuania.

The law on restrictive measures in connection with military aggression against Ukraine, updated this year, is valid until May 3, 2025. The Lithuanian Foreign Ministry proposes to extend it until May 2, 2026.

“The full-scale war unleashed by the russian federation against Ukraine on February 24, 2022, is still ongoing, so the reasons for which the law was adopted have not disappeared. The actions of the russian federation have a significant negative impact not only on the security of the European Union (EU) and NATO member states, but also on the security of Europe as a whole,” the explanatory note to the bill reads.

No changes are proposed to the restrictive measures for russian and Belarusian citizens. Seimas Speaker Saulius Skvernelis did not rule out that the restrictive measures could be strengthened.

“The issue of sanctions and the scale of sanctions, especially against Belarus, is likely to change, but not in the direction of weakening. We are talking about a threat to our national security. All these restrictions should be reasonable, should not violate the interests of those people whom we invited to come to Lithuania and gave the opportunity to temporarily live here, but everything should be viewed through the prism of security,” he said.

The law suspends the acceptance of applications for Schengen and national visas and the issuance of visas for citizens of russia and Belarus, except when it is done through the mediation of the Lithuanian Foreign Ministry. The law also suspends the acceptance of applications for a temporary residence permit in Lithuania, except for those who have a valid Schengen or national visa, a residence permit in Lithuania or another EU state.

russians and Belarusians arriving from outside the EU are subject to additional checks for threats to national security, public order, public policy, internal security, public health or international relations.

They are also prohibited from importing or exporting Ukrainian hryvnias to or from Lithuania, and are prohibited from importing agricultural products and feed produced in russia and Belarus.

russians who do not have a residence permit in Lithuania are prohibited from buying real estate in Lithuania.

Source: LRT