„On 14 January, after learning about the initiative of Belarusian oppositionists to issue Belarusian citizens with passports bearing the symbols of the state of Lithuania, on 14 January, together with my colleagues (...) I addressed the Minister of Foreign Affairs Kęstutis Budrys,“ MP Audronius Ažubalis posted on Facebook on Thursday.
„We request that the Foreign Ministry, as the institution responsible for consular activities, after analysing the situation regarding the initiative to issue new Belarusian passports and after receiving all the necessary information, take measures to ensure that the state symbols of the Republic of Lithuania are not used in the new Belarusian passports,“ he wrote.
According to the Conservative MP, the appeal was also signed by his fellow MPs Laurynas Kasčiūnas, Valdas Rakutis, Kazys Starkevičius and Arvydas Pocius.
New Belarusian passports to be presented next week
Belarusian opposition leader Sviatlana Tsikhanouskaya announced on Wednesday that she plans to present the new Belarusian passport on 26 January during a visit by the country's democratic forces to Warsaw.
„We have just received samples from the passport centre. Without them, we could not have negotiated the status of the passport. Of course, foreign politicians have had a lot of interest: we have already spoken to several ministers, and now we have to prepare a further legal justification. The Passport Centre has already sent samples to all European countries,“ Ms Tsichanouskaya wrote on Facebook on Wednesday.
As she pointed out, everything will be done according to the highest international standards. Access to the data will be strictly limited, and no one, including the regime, will be able to determine whether a person has such a passport.
The Belarusian opposition leader said in her post, „We have found a solution for printing passports, and we are very grateful to the Lithuanian government for its support and advice.“
ELTA recalls that in August 2023, the Belarusian opposition presented an initiative for an alternative passport for Belarus. At the time, it was reported that negotiations were also underway with the European Union to legitimise this document. Ms Tsikhanouskaya also shared a mock-up of the passport, which she wants to be decorated with the Knight of Belarus.
According to Kasčiūnas, who was then Lithuanian Minister of National Defence, the Lithuanian Heraldry Commission should assess whether the Belarusian passport could feature the Vytis.
