“Yesterday we were given back temporary security from the Management Protection Service while a new security system is created. We have also resumed the work of our office. We hope that we will find further joint solutions to continue working in Lithuania,” he said.
On behalf of the Belarusians, Kuchinsky thanked Lithuania for its support.
“Our task is to return freedom to Belarus, return home and be a reliable neighbor for Lithuania,” Tikhanovskaya’s advisor emphasized.
The channel notes that there were previously rumors that due to a decrease in the level of security for Tikhanovskaya in Lithuania, her office was considering the option of moving its work to Poland.
The fact that the Lithuanian authorities lowered the level of security for Tikhanovskaya (from “as president” to police supervision) became known on October 8. Because of this, Tikhanovskaya’s office in Vilnius was temporarily closed.
By data Media reported that about €1 million was spent annually on Tikhanovskaya’s security.
Context
Tikhanovskaya was a presidential candidate in Belarus in the 2020 elections, after the country's Central Election Commission denied registration to her husband Sergei Tikhanovsky. According to official data, Alexander Lukashenko, who has been in power since 1994, won the elections, for whom 80.1% of voters voted. Tikhanovskaya took second place with 10.1% of the votes. At the same time, alternative exit polls showed a confident victory for Tikhanovskaya.
After the elections, mass protests took place in Belarus against those who disagreed with the results, and Tikhanovskaya left Belarus amid persecution of oppositionists by the authorities. She lives abroad.
