Lithuania to strip residence permits of Russian, Belarusian citizens who frequently travel back home
Lithuania to strip residence permits of Russian citizens who frequently travel to Russia, Belarus
I dunno chat, as a Lithuanian (as if it matters) this feels like a bit of an over reach in a war on terror in US type of way. This isn't the only law that explicitly targets Russians/Belarussians as a security threat that has been enacted.
These people are often just nationals, citizens of their country and not automatically foreign agents. If they were here doing espionage, they would report back using encrypted channels on the internet which is much cheaper than traveling back and forth. If they were smuggling tools for terrorism like bombs, it's much easier to smuggle them over the border or even obtain them locally than having the foreign agent themselves smuggle.
I can't help but view it as discriminatory in a similar way how Muslim and Arab populations were treated post-9/11, it just doesn't make much sense unless I'm missing something.
Same. I’m in western europe, I have a couple friends who are Russian and oppose the invasion.
The male ones haven’t gone back to see their family because they fear conscription.
Those who can go back to see family are super cautious and scared because they don’t wanna be sent to gulag.
It’d be a shame if they got another barrier to going home they had to worry about.
Much cheaper, but not more secure.
Excluding that, if my country had started a territorial way of aggression, and I was now living in a country that's been threatened by said country in the recent past as well, I wouldn't be traveling back, let alone often.
Combined with actual continual examples of Russians not only spying but carrying out assassinations in foreign countries (like the UK) and sabotaging infrastructure almost every month, and if anything, this is pretty light retaliation.
You personally wouldn't travel back and forth, but this doesn't necessarily apply to everyone - there were and still are a decent amount of Russian nationals working/living here with their families, distant or otherwise, still living back home in Russia/Belarus. No matter your nationality, you might want to go back to your home country and visit your family. What if there's an emergency/funeral you have to attend after visiting? It might not be a valid reason to go back (given how vague the articles are), and you might lose your residence because of it. It's only one example of course, but there definitely are more scenarios like this one.
Also, reading one of the news articles, counter-terrorism prevention isn't even mentioned once, and it wouldn't make sense given how I already outlined how it would be easier to get tools for terrorism locally, much safely too given how you don't have to go through security that scrutinizes you more due to war-time, not to mention it doesn't prevent terrorism from foreign agents who don't own a residence here. If anything, the article mentions how these methods are there to further sanction Russia, to show solidarity to Ukraine and "limit specific Russian/Belarusian citizen rights".
Those legit people can apply for citizenship.
This is lithuania not russia. Russia needs to make living comfortable for russians, not lithuania. Lithuanias job is to provide security for it's citizens and ensure the survival of lithuanian culture. There is citizenship for people who like that and want that, no matter what country you frequent.
You need 10 years of residence before you can apply, and from what I hear from friends it's not a sure thing. So you may be stuck living as a resident for much longer than that.
Is it fair to not being able to go see your relatives for years/decade+? I'd pay that price for getting out of russia (well I already am paying it, albeit not to Lithuania) doesn't make it right tho.
But then again, as long as ru/br immigrants are still able to enter, live and obtain citizenship, can't really be mad at the baltics they're in a tough position.
Is it fair to not being able to go see your relatives for years/decade+?
The article says no more then once every three months, how is this years/decades ?
I'd be more worried about being detained on the Russian side.
Fair on both counts.
I would not risk travelling to russia as a resident of its neighbor, both because russia can send you to jail/trench, and because your residency can be easily revoked/not extended. Permanently living somewhere as a non-citizen is a vulnerable position, and getting a citizenship is often outside your control.
Its a bit rough but other than "stip zigzagging across rhe border constantly* it's not a big deal and not a real restriction. I went home like twice a year when I lived abroad.
The fanatic Russophobia and scaremongering is rampant.
Don't expect people to be reasonable.
Ah yes. The country with a main channel having a programme that openly discusses nuking countries. With Meidviedev openly calling for annexation of baltic states. Beliteling other countries.
Country that occupied a lot of Europe and denied independence
Country that invaded Georgia.
Country that annexed Crimea.
Country that genocides Ukraine.
Russophobia came out of nowhere.
russia. The country that did nothing wrong.
Pretty much, Russia has definitely earned the reputation even back when it was being "socialist" - it's an imperialist hellhole, one that also meddles in today's politics by funding far-right parties like AfD.
Though, I personally take issue when the russophobia doesn't stop at targeting the state and its ruling class who made these decisions, but to the Russian working class as well, all of whom are getting exploited in the standard capitalist fashion but also a section being conscripted to kill and die for their ruling class benefit and their imperialist interests. That's why it doesn't feel right to me when a country targets Russian nationals with discriminatory laws in a fashion that's not too different from 9/11's treatment of Arab people that most of us can agree was wrong.
Thank you for going mask off so we can all block you 🙃
russia is a nazi state.