Belarusian opposition leader cites security concerns in move to Warsaw
Concerns over safety prompted part of Belarusian opposition leader Sviatlana Tsikhanouskaya's office to relocate to Poland, she told PAP on Monday, arguing that the decision protects not only her, but also her team.
"For all these years, we have been targets for the Belarusian regime, both myself and my office," Tsikhanouskaya said. She explained that changes to security arrangements in Vilnius led part of her team to transfer operations to Warsaw
Tsikhanouskaya had been based in Lithuania for over five years, after being forced into exile in 2020 by President Alexander Lukashenko's authoritarian regime following that year's rigged presidential election. The country's opposition maintains the vote was manipulated in Lukashenko's favour and Tsikhanouskaya was the legitimate winner.
Last year, Lithuanian authorities downgrade her state security protection, citing the lower threat level. Some media reports argued that the Belarusian leader's political status had diminished without the democratic opposition having access to or freedom to operate directly in Belarus.
She also expressed her gratitude to Lithuania for the support she received and to Poland for hosting "hundreds of thousands of Belarusians who had to flee repressions" as well as for understanding that a free and democratic Belarus was important for strong neighbourly relations.
"I felt safe in Lithuania, and I feel safe here," Tsikhanouskaya said, adding that the move to Warsaw will enable her office to work more closely with the large Belarusian diaspora in Poland.
According to Poland's Office for Foreigners, 144,000 Belarusians held valid residence permits in Poland as of March last year. Research by the Institute of Central Europe found that in early 2024, around 300,000 Belarusians were registered with Polish PESEL identification numbers, making them the second-largest foreign national group in Poland after Ukrainians. (PAP)
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