Lithuanian President Gitanas Nauseda has warned that recurring anti-Muslim attacks may be part of an orchestrated campaign rather than isolated incidents, public broadcaster LRT reported.
"The recurrence of incidents — both alleged and real — over a relatively short period of time leads me to believe that these are not random outbursts of emotion, but campaigns for which orchestrators should be sought," Nauseda told LNK television on Wednesday.
His remarks came after two seperate incidents where a Holy Quran was burned publicly in Vilnius in mid-September and bikers staged a protest displaying a pig's head during Muslim prayers outside a mosque.
Investigations had been launched for each incident.
Nauseda stressed the need for Lithuania to remain a country where different religions and cultures coexist peacefully.
He noted that the migration issue was relevant but warned against adressing it through actions such as displaying pig heads.
He said such issues should not be adressed by separating Christian and non-Christian countries.
"Yes, there are issues related to additional tensions because people come from a completely [different] cultural environment, but they are not automatically bad people in themselves or people who wish ill upon Lithuania," Nauseda underscored.
"We should not fight against nationalities or countries; we should fight against the overall influx of migration," he stated.
Nauseda’s government has promised a tougher approach to migration after thousands of migrants crossed or attempted to cross the border from Belarus in 2021.
Lithuania detained several thousand people who had entered the country, pushed back migrants attempting to cross from Belarus, and subsequently built a fence along the border with Belarus.
