Belarusian President Aleksandr Lukashenko supported the proposal by the Council of Ministers and the Ministry of Foreign Affairs to extend the visa waiver program for citizens of Lithuania, Latvia and Poland to 2024, BelTA learned from the press service of the Belarusian president.

Belarus waived visas for citizens of Lithuania and Latvia, non-citizens of Latvia as from 15 April 2022 and for citizens of Poland as from 1 July 2022. In December 2022, the visa-waiver program was extended to 2023.

The visa waiver program in 2022-2023 showed a steady interest of residents of the neighboring states in visiting the Republic of Belarus despite the obstacles and restrictions created by the governments of Lithuania, Latvia and Poland.

The visa waiver program shows that the Republic of Belarus is open to the idea of restoring normal equal interaction with the neighboring states. It also helps maintain ties with the Belarusian national minorities and to overcome the information blockade put up by the political elites of the neighboring countries through interpersonal communications.

Written by belta.by