Gathering the Facts: Migration from Belarus to Lithuania Before and After the 2020 Crisis

We present a new study.

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Authors: Andrei Kazakevich, PhD in Political Science, Director of the Political Sphere Institute; Vika Veličkaitė, researcher at the Political Sphere Institute

The study presents the results of research on migration processes from Belarus to Lithuania over the past 20 years, with particular attention to developments after 2020. Unlike other studies, this research is based not on surveys or interviews, but on the collection and analysis of a broad array of statistical data on Belarusian citizens in Lithuania. 

The study made it possible to determine the number of Belarusian citizens in Lithuania, their areas of employment and places of study, qualifications, age and gender structure, the ratio between political and labour migration, the impact of the 2020 political crisis and the 2022 war in Ukraine on migration processes, the scale of migration of families with children, and other issues. 

The data analysis provides a fact-based understanding of the size, composition, causes and history of the formation of the new Belarusian diaspora in Lithuania, and also helps reconsider many myths and stereotypes about it that are widespread in the public sphere and the media. 

The results may be useful for identifying the needs and interests of the diaspora, developing communication and engagement strategies, and forecasting its future development.    

The data were obtained both from open sources and through correspondence with institutions and organisations of the Republic of Lithuania. 

The study was conducted within the project European Network for Belarus.

For additional information, please contact: [email protected]