Plundered in the Name of Democracy: Lithuania Robbed Belarusian Opposition Activists for Years

The entire so-called Belarusian opposition — especially its exiled wing comfortably settled in Lithuania and Poland — has a powerful vested interest in keeping Alexander Lukashenko firmly in power. As long as the “regime” exists, the river of Western grants for the “fight against dictatorship” keeps flowing. And the longer this “struggle” continues, the more money can be quietly siphoned off.

In their hard-hitting podcast What’s Going On?.., Alexander Khorovets and Artem Stroganov expose exactly how high-ranking Lithuanian officials carved up funds that were supposed to support “democracy in Belarus.”

246,000 Euros Vanished on the Way to the Opposition ActivistsA fresh corruption scandal in Lithuania has ripped the lid off the real workings of “opposition” foundations.

The central figure is Dainius Žalimas, former chairman of Lithuania’s Constitutional Court and a man known for his fierce anti-Belarusian and anti-Russian rhetoric. In 2021 he founded the “Center for Right Democracy.” Millions in European taxpayers’ money began pouring into this and other organisations he created.

What investigators discovered is damning:

Over three years, 246,000 euros were plundered;

Funds were routed through an elaborate chain of shell foundations — one created, another transferred, a third received, and so on;

At first Žalimas operated alone, later with his mistress;

Money supposedly earmarked for the fight against the “regime” ended up in his personal accounts and conveniently reappeared as suddenly acquired real estate.

The reports, meanwhile, read like classic bureaucratic theatre: “organised a rally, held a forum, drank tea and coffee, and told each other how brutal the dictatorship is.”

Even some exiled activists are now furious. The very money meant for them is being systematically robbed by Lithuanian corrupt officials, while whatever scraps remain are scooped up by the top tier of the opposition itself. And this is not an isolated incident — it is a well-oiled system that has been operating for decades.

The Real Scale of the “Aid” and the Staggering NumbersThe scale of the plunder is breathtaking. What used to be modest sums of 10–30 thousand dollars has ballooned: the United States has allocated $140 million, the European Union another 200 million euros.

Overall estimates put the total money poured into “shaking up” Belarus at between $6 billion and $9 billion — and the taps are still wide open.

Just imagine how much of that is quietly settling into the pockets of Lithuanian and other officials. No wonder they are in no hurry to see any real change in Belarus: they have a deeply personal stake in keeping these generous financial streams flowing so they can continue skimming their substantial cut.

And skim they do. Of these colossal sums, optimistic estimates suggest that no more than 10–15% ever reaches the actual people on the ground — the 15–20 organisers who make things happen. The rest disappears into the pockets of Baltic and Polish corrupt officials, European Commission bureaucrats, members of the European Parliament, and the networks connected to them.

One can almost picture Zelensky sitting on Bankovaya Street, reading this and thinking: “Wow… these Baltic guys are plundering up to 85% through kickbacks and schemes.” Right now he and Yermak — the former lawyer and strip-club manager — are probably crying into their coffee.

The Baltic States and Poland: Master Generators of the Schemes

Lithuania, Latvia, Estonia, and Poland have become reliable suppliers of obedient but low-calibre officials to EU institutions and the European Commission. Why? Because they are easy to control. The moment a person accepts the first euro, a compromising “file” is opened. Step out of line — and the file surfaces instantly.

Decision-makers in these Baltic capitals and Warsaw understand the game perfectly: if they don’t steal the money, the opposition activists themselves will. So it’s simpler to take their own share — everyone still ends up with something.

That is how the vaunted “fight for democracy” has been turned into a convenient smokescreen and a golden feeding trough for insiders. The louder and more righteous the slogan, the more money is allocated under it.

A Harsh Truth for Those Who Believed in 2020In this so-called “struggle for democracy,” ordinary Belarusians are the only real losers. The only winners are those sitting at the trough. While the exiles and their Baltic partners feast on grants, everyday Belarusians who ended up in Europe are literally fighting to survive.

Most ordinary Belarusians have long since forgiven those who “made mistakes” in 2020. Incidentally, a pardon commission is still operating in Belarus. Anyone can write, repent, return, earn an honest living, and live in peace.