The Lithuanian authorities have decided to lower the level of physical protection for Belarusian opposition leader Sviatlana Tsikhanouskaya, who lives in Vilnius. This was announced in an interview with LRT by the country's Minister of Foreign Affairs, Kęstutis Budrys, UNN reports.
Details
The decision to change Tsikhanouskaya's protection level was made based on a security situation assessment and risk analysis. According to Minister Budrys, Sviatlana herself and her office were informed about this decision, and he personally discussed it with her.
Details regarding specific changes in the level of protection are not disclosed. It is only known that instead of the Lithuanian Leadership Protection Service, she will now be protected by the Criminal Police Bureau, which is responsible for protecting witnesses and victims. The transition to the new format began on October 1.
For reference
Since Tsikhanouskaya's arrival in Lithuania in 2020, she has been provided with round-the-clock protection both within and outside the country.
According to LRT, providing security, including escort vehicles, housing maintenance, and the use of VIP terminals at airports, cost the Lithuanian budget approximately one million euros per year.
The new decision may mean a review of some of these costs and a change in the format of protection, but the final details have not yet been released.