Following the amendment to the Law on Restrictive Measures, they were approved by consensus.
Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs Jonas Survila, who presented the bill, explained the reasons for proposing to extend the application of sanctions, noting that the circumstances and geopolitical situation have not changed since last year. Therefore, according to him, it is important to continue to properly manage potential risks to national security.
«The aggression continues, innocent civilians are dying, and civilian infrastructure is under attack — you know this very well. Therefore, in response to the ongoing war and the dramatic impact these actions have not only on Ukraine but also on Europe and our security, we are presenting this bill,» said J. Survila from the podium of the plenary session of the Seimas.
He pointed out the main changes provided for in the amendments presented by the government. The draft proposes not only to extend the restrictions until May 2 of the following year but also to tighten the verification of Belarusian citizens crossing the Lithuanian border with a Schengen visa — such individuals will be additionally assessed and examined against potential risks. Currently, this procedure is already in place for Russian citizens.