Lithuania Sends A Note Of Protest To Belarus

• 16.04.2026, 16:53

Because of YSU.

Vilnius sent a note of protest to Minsk over the decision to recognize the European Humanities University (EHU) as an "extremist organization. This was reported by the Lithuanian Foreign Ministry.

The Ministry said that it considers this decision politically motivated, unjustified and contrary to the norms of international law, as well as affecting the sovereignty of the country. They stressed that this is an unprecedented case, when a university, legally operating in another state, is declared an "extremist organization."

The Lithuanian Foreign Ministry also noted that it would continue to support YSU as a space of academic freedom, critical thinking and democratic values, independent of political pressure.

The Ministry estimates that the decision of the Belarusian authorities poses a threat to the university students - not only from Belarus, but also from other countries - as well as to the academic community as a whole. The Foreign Ministry believes that it actually criminalizes international educational cooperation and harms the democratically-minded part of the Belarusian society.

Lithuania said that it does not recognize the legal force of this decision on its territory, demanded its abolition and warned that such actions could further complicate relations between the countries and will be assessed both at the national level and at the EU level in terms of possible further measures.

Earlier, April 14, it became known that the Supreme Court of Belarus recognized the decision of the Supreme Court of the Republic of Belarus as a violation of the law.