Warsaw instead of Vilnius: Why Tsikhanouskaya moves opposition headquarters
Belarusian opposition leader Sviatlana Tsikhanouskaya (Photo: Getty Images)
Belarusian opposition leader Sviatlana Tsikhanouskaya is relocating the headquarters of Free Belarus from Vilnius to Warsaw, reports Rzeczpospolita.
According to Tsikhanouskaya, the decision is linked to a changing security situation in Lithuania, which she says has become a risk to her and her team.
“I am very grateful to Lithuania for its support, but I am forced to look for alternative solutions to ensure the safety of our office,” Tsikhanouskaya said.
The new headquarters will be based in Warsaw, while some staff members will remain in Vilnius.
The leader of Free Belarus emphasizes that Poland is a symbol of solidarity and democracy for her.
“Poland has gone through a difficult path to independence, and the sense of solidarity with those who are still on that path has not disappeared. Moreover, Belarusians’ aspiration for democracy enjoys cross-party support,” Tsikhanouskaya said.
The relocation comes amid heightened threats from the Lukashenko regime, which continues to persecute opposition activists. Tsikhanouskaya stresses that Belarus’s dictatorial government, acting in coordination with Russia, poses a threat not only to Belarusians but also to European security, including Poland’s.
The decision to move is also linked to recent controversies in Vilnius over Belarusian document symbolism and the level of state protection provided to the opposition. Tsikhanouskaya hopes that being based in Warsaw will help strengthen cooperation among Belarusian democratic forces and continue the international fight for rights and freedoms in Belarus.
Tsikhanouskaya’s children currently live in the US, but the family plans to settle permanently in Warsaw, including schooling there, underscoring their commitment to the new center of the Belarusian opposition.
In June 2025, Belarus’s self-proclaimed president, Alexander Lukashenko, pardoned opposition figure Siarhei Tsikhanouski at the request of US President Donald Trump.
Immediately after his release from prison, Belarusian opposition activist Sergei Tikhanovsky made statements regarding Ukraine, Crimea, and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy.
