The security for the leader of the Belarusian opposition, Svetlana Tikhanovskaya, will be provided by the Lithuanian police in the coming days. Previously, her personal and working premises were protected by the State Protection Service of Lithuania.
The head of the Lithuanian Police Department, Deividas Matonis, noted that the details of the security regime will not be disclosed.
Last week, a number of Belarusian independent media outlets, citing sources in Svetlana Tikhanovskaya's circle, reported that against the backdrop of a decision to lower the level of security, the Office of S. Tikhanovskaya (OST) plans to move from Vilnius to Warsaw. Representatives of the office then commented on this information vaguely, stating that they are waiting for specific decisions and a plan from Lithuania on how the new security system will look.
Svetlana Tikhanovskaya's advisor, Denis Kuchinski, responding to Lithuania's decision that from now on, S. Tikhanovskaya's security will be provided by the police, does not answer the question of whether a move from Lithuania is planned.
When asked when exactly OST might make a decision on further actions and whether the timelines for Lithuania to provide the plan mentioned by Tikhanovskaya's advisor were discussed, he answers briefly: "Soon."
Changes in the security system mean that the security of Svetlana Tikhanovskaya's home and office will be maintained, however, the leader of the Belarusian opposition loses personal security both in Lithuania and beyond.
D. Kuchinski notes that outside of Lithuania, S. Tikhanovskaya has recently been protected by the services of the host countries.
As the threat, so the security
The level of security for the leader of the Belarusian opposition, Svetlana Tikhanovskaya, has been changed due to the lack of threats, says the chairman of the Seimas Committee on Foreign Affairs (KID), social democrat Remigijus Motuzas.
"This issue began to be addressed last summer, taking into account (I have also reviewed these materials) that during her entire stay, no threats to her person were recorded. In this regard, the level of security was lowered," he told reporters in the Seimas on Friday.
The chairman of the Seimas, social democrat Juozas Olekas, also noted that the decision was made after assessing possible risks.
"If the threat increases — security is strengthened, if the threat is less — other forces can be used and resources allocated for the protection of the guest can be distributed rationally," he said, emphasizing that Lithuania has supported and continues to support the democratic forces of Belarus.
