Belarusian opposition leader Sviatlana Tsikhanouskaya reportedly reached out to Lithuania’s Prime Minister Inga Ruginienė seeking a compromise regarding her security detail, but did not receive a response, according to a recent report. The lack of communication comes as Tsikhanouskaya has relocated much of her activity to Warsaw, citing security concerns.
Dzianis Kuchynski, an advisor to Tsikhanouskaya, revealed the unsuccessful attempt at communication during an appearance on the Lithuanian program “Iššifruoti esmę su Dovydu Pancerovu.” He stated the letter to the Prime Minister was part of an effort to identify common ground on the level of protection afforded to Tsikhanouskaya.
“the decision of why Sviatlana Tsikhanouskaya will now spend more time in Poland, the first thing, of course, was security and protection,” Kuchynski said.
According to Kuchynski, they actively sought compromises, including a proposal that Lithuania’s VIP Protection Department not accompany Tsikhanouskaya on foreign trips, and a reduction in the number of officers assigned to her protection within Lithuania. “We were looking for that compromise, Sviatlana Tsikhanouskaya wrote a letter to the prime minister, but we did not receive an answer,” he noted.
When pressed on whether a response was received from the Prime Minister or her staff, Kuchynski reiterated, “No. We did not receive an answer. We tried to meet, but somehow…”
Lithuanian news outlet Lrytas too inquired about the letter with representatives for Prime Minister Ruginienė.
“The letter was received, and it concerned the level of protection. Communication with S. Tsikhanouskaya’s team was maintained – it was carried out by both the VIP Protection Department and the Ministry of Foreign Affairs. The government, for its part, relied on the recommendations of the services, which, having assessed the level of threat, indicated what protection was needed for S. Tsikhanouskaya,” Prime Minister Ruginienė’s advisor, Ignas Algirdas Dobrovolskas, said in a written statement to Lrytas.
“Based on this, decisions were made,” he added.
Yet, Dobrovolskas did not explain why the Prime Minister did not directly respond to the letter.
When asked about the last time Ruginienė met with Tsikhanouskaya, Dobrovolskas indicated that such a meeting took place last year.
The situation follows a December announcement that Lithuania’s VIP Protection Department would be replaced by police in providing security for Tsikhanouskaya. Shortly after, several members of Tsikhanouskaya’s team announced her intention to relocate from Lithuania to Poland.
Tsikhanouskaya began working from Warsaw this week, though her office in Vilnius will continue to operate. The move underscores the challenges faced in providing adequate security for the exiled opposition leader and maintaining international support for the Belarusian democratic movement.
