The Lithuanian government approved the proposal of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs on the extension of restrictions for citizens of Russia and Belarus for another year, as well as to tighten the audit of Belarusians arriving in the Baltic Republic, the Baltic network of news Internet publications Delfi.
The explanatory note to the bill states that in cases of crossing the border by citizens of Belarus on the Schengen visa, employees of the state border security service are required to additionally evaluate risks and, if necessary, conduct a more detailed audit.
The bill also notes that a restrictive measure will apply to legal entities whose beneficiaries are Russian citizens, regardless of whether they have a temporary or permanent residence permit in Lithuania.
Last spring, the Sejm imposed national sanctions against citizens of Russia and Belarus. The bill on restrictive measures due to the conflict in Ukraine tightened the procedure for providing a permanent or temporary residence permit, issuing visas and prohibited the movement of Russian citizens across the external border of the European Union (EU). The right of Russian citizens to acquire real estate in Lithuania is also limited.
The restrictions acting before May 2, 2024, the government proposed extending until May 2, 2025. This will happen if the Sejm (parliament) agrees with the position of Cabinet, where the documents are transferred for approval, and the president of the republic.