Lithuania Extends Sanctions Against Russians and Belarusians

The Lithuanian Seimas has extended national sanctions against Russian and Belarusian citizens for another year. The Gaze reports on this with reference to Delfi.

At the same time, the conservatives' proposal to tighten restrictive measures against residents of both countries was rejected.

115 MPs voted in favour of the law extending the sanctions. There were no votes against, and one member of the Sejm abstained.

The law toughens the procedure for issuing permanent and temporary residence permits, issuing visas, and granting e-resident status to citizens of Russia and Belarus.

It also prohibits the movement of Russian citizens across the EU's external border, and those arriving are assessed for additional risks.

In addition, the legal act restricts the right of Russian citizens to purchase real estate in Lithuania, import agricultural products and feed produced in Russia and Belarus.

However, the parliamentarians did not support the proposal of some conservatives who sought to unify and strengthen sanctions against Russian and Belarusian citizens.

Representatives of the opposition faction registered a proposal to revoke temporary residence permits issued to citizens of Russia and Belarus in Lithuania if they have travelled to these aggressor countries more than once in the last 3 calendar months.

The law imposing national sanctions on Russian and Belarusian citizens was first adopted in spring 2023. Last year, they were extended for a year.

Lithuania seeks to be able to impose national economic sanctions against Russia and Belarus if the EU does not extend the restrictive measures.

As The Gaze reported earlier, Lithuanian President Gitanas Nausėda has called for increased sanctions against Russia following the missile attack on Kryvyi Rih in eastern Ukraine. He made his remarks after signing a book of condolences at the Ukrainian Embassy in Vilnius.