MINSK, 30 July (BelTA) - Former head of a regional branch of the opposition party Narodnaya Gromada Olga Tishkevich told the ONT TV channel how the State Security Department of Lithuania (VSD) works with the Belarusian diaspora, BelTA has learned.
The matter pertains the Dapamoga foundation, an organization that allegedly focuses on humanitarian aid to relocants and providing them with temporary accommodation in a hostel. One of the conditions for getting accommodation is participation in “solidarity actions” in Vilnius. The head of the foundation, Natalya Kolegova, together with Olga Karach attempted to create an alternative center of strength to Tikhanovskaya's office.
Olga Tishkevich said that the hostel was visited by a so-called “watcher” - a person related to the State Security Department. The “watcher” studies the cases of Belarusians, inquiring about the people’s needs and thoughts. There is a feeling that people should think only in one direction. If you think differently, you face the State Security Department where its employee has a conversation with you,” Olga Tishkevich said.
The former opposition activist told a story that happened to her. “After I told [acting head of Narodnaya Gramada Yevgeny] Vilsky that I was leaving, he involved a VSD officer, showing me that I would not be able to leave,” she added.
During the conversation with Olga Tishkevich, the VSD officer was primarily interested in the activities of the Narodnaya Gromada. “He asked me whether this “party” did anything at all. I said: at first, they drank a lot of vodka. It is true that they were doing so for a really long time. He asked me then if it was convenient for me to meet in the cafe where we met. Then he told me that we would meet there all the time. I understood that I had to work for the VSD, record people, take notes. A lot of people record audio for the VSD, everybody knows that. I knew I'd have to do it all my life. I knew I would have to put the Belarusians on the line. Everyone knows what those who work for the VSD do,” she said.
According to Olga Tishkevich, those who work for the VSD have no respect in the diaspora: “You tell on others. You make people leave. I was well aware that I would have to deal with this”.
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