President's Office: Wording Changes in New Government Program Do Not Shift Lithuania's Belarus Policy
Lithuania's presidential office stated Tuesday that changes in the wording of the incoming government's program regarding Belarus do not signal a policy shift. The country's stance on EU sanctions and the Belarusian government remains unchanged.
Paulius Baltokas, the domestic policy adviser to the president, said on Tuesday that a change in wording in Prime Minister-designate Mindaugas Sinkevičius' government program does not indicate a shift in Lithuania's policy toward Belarus. He stressed that Lithuania's position on the Belarusian government and European Union sanctions remains unchanged.
Compared with the program of the previous government led by Inga Ruginienė, the new government's program describes the isolation of Russia and Belarus differently. The commitment to maintaining international isolation is explicitly linked to Russia, while Belarus is addressed in a separate provision stating that isolation and pressure will be increased if Minsk continues to support Russia's war against Ukraine or carries out "hybrid attacks".
The Sinkevičius government program also slightly revises the wording on the Astravyets nuclear power plant. It pledges to raise the issue of the plant's safety in international forums and ensure that Belarus complies with the highest nuclear safety and environmental standards while meeting its international obligations.
According to the president's office, the threat to Lithuania stems not only from a specific facility but from the current Belarusian government and its "hybrid attacks".
The new government is being formed following a reshuffle of the ruling coalition. Its program must be approved by the parliament, Seimas, before the new cabinet can take office.
