Lithuanian Poles' leader criticizes Freedom Way as failed 'PR stunt'

Last Sunday's human chain formed in Lithuania to express solidarity with Belarus was Andrius Tapinas' public relations stunt that failed, Valdemar Tomasevski, the leader of the Electoral Action of Poles in Lithuania–Christian Families Alliance (EAPL-CFA), said on Thursday.

"The Freedom Way failed, in a sense, because (...) there were gaps in the chain, as we could see," he told reporters.

The organizers "made a big mistake" by not inviting all political parties and public organizations to join the event, according to Tomasevski.

"There was an attempt to stage a PR stunt by Mr. Tapinas and the company, but we saw that it was not very successful," the politician said.

The event, organized by journalist, TV host and public figure Tapinas and dubbed "the Freedom Way", saw more than 50,000 people join hands in a human chain stretching from Vilnius to the Belarusian border to express solidarity with Belarusian protesters against election fraud and the regime's brutal crackdown on demonstrators.