Lithuania’s Seimas begins considering a ban on Belarusians and Russians buying property near military sites

On Tuesday, 13 October, Lithuania's Seimas began considering proposals to further restrict the activities of Russians and Belarusians in Lithuania. This is reported by the Ukrainian outlet eurointegration.com.ua.

The Russian outlet runews24.ru writes that parliament began discussing another package of restrictions on Russia and Belarus. According to Telegram channels and pro-Russian outlets, the Seimas has thus launched a process of tightening the Baltic republic's national sanctions against Belarusian and Russian citizens. Non-state Belarusian outlets write the same.

The main novelty concerns real estate. It is proposed to ban Belarusian and Russian citizens who hold Lithuanian residence permits from buying it near military and strategic sites. The amendments were prepared by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, eurointegration.com.ua reports.

According to the same outlet, citizens of Belarus without a Lithuanian residence permit, as well as legal entities belonging to them, would also be unable to buy property in such areas. Belarusian state media report that the ban is planned for Belarusians and Russians regardless of their status.

According to reports in Telegram channels, the restrictions will also affect the public activities of Belarusians and Russians in education and culture.

Juozas Olekas said that additional sanctions are needed for the safety of Lithuanian citizens. According to other reports, he said they are necessary so that residents of Lithuania feel safer.

The TASS agency reports that the Seimas supported the new restrictions by an overwhelming majority, citing the need to protect national security. According to TASS, 97 deputies voted "for" and four abstained.

The figures differ between reports. Belarusian state media, as well as non-state Belarusian outlets, give 93 votes "for" and four abstentions. The Russian outlet runews24.ru writes of 97 "for" and four abstentions, adding that no one spoke against.

What matches across reports from different groups of sources is the main point: Lithuania's parliament backed tighter national sanctions against Belarus and Russia, four deputies abstained, and the key provision is the ban on buying real estate.

Belarusian state media describe the vote as "another step" towards tightening restrictions, give 93 votes "for" and stress the ban on property purchases for Belarusians and Russians regardless of their status.

Non-state Belarusian outlets quote Olekas's words, TASS's figure of 97 votes and Vilnius's assurance that the sanctions are national in character and complement Europe-wide measures. They also write of 93 votes in favour of considering the package.

The Ukrainian outlet eurointegration.com.ua, citing the Lithuanian broadcaster LRT, writes of 93 votes "for" in the first reading. It gives the most detailed description of the regime for residence permit holders and for those who do not have one.

Vilnius stresses that the sanctions are national: they complement Europe-wide measures rather than replace them. In recent years Lithuania has consistently tightened the rules of entry and stay for citizens of Russia and Belarus, placing emphasis on checking loyalty to EU and NATO policy and on protecting strategic infrastructure. According to media reports, dozens of Belarusians accused of circumventing sanctions against Russia were earlier expelled from Lithuania.

The idea of a ban on property purchases is not new: on 26 July it was discussed at Lithuania's Foreign Ministry, with the talk then being of strategic sites and military training grounds. At the same time it was proposed to bar entry to Lithuania for figures in culture, education and sport who support the military conflict in Ukraine.

Lithuania introduced its national sanctions regime in 2023 and has extended it several times since. According to runews24.ru, it is currently in force until the end of 2027. The Ukrainian outlet recalls that in June Latvia's Saeima approved restrictions on issuing residence permits to citizens of Russia and Belarus.

The amendments to the law on national sanctions must now be considered by the Seimas. According to LRT, they have already passed the first reading: they are amendments to the Law on the Application of Restrictive Measures in Connection with Military Aggression against Ukraine.

According to local media, the ministry proposes one more condition: those wishing to come to Lithuania would have to sign a publicly announced declaration. In it they would condemn Russian aggression against Ukraine and state their support for Ukraine's territorial integrity. Refusing to sign would close the way to activity in the country.

It is not yet known when the new rules will come into force or which sites will be considered strategic.