Gytis Volkavičius's joke caused a storm: he announced he was taking children away from mothers to Belarus

Lithuanian businessman Gytis Volkavičius recently caused a stir on social media by posting a video announcing his permanent move to Belarus with his children. In the clip, he claimed to be safe and beyond the reach of authorities, stating, "You can contact child welfare, children's rights, wherever you want. No one will reach me in Belarus."

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Hello everyone, I am already in Belarus, I am safe with my children, mothers will no longer take the children to the Philippines, you can now contact institutions, child rights, wherever you want. No one will reach me in Belarus.

His followers reacted with confusion and well wishes for his new life stage. Some even inquired about the necessary documents for relocating to Belarus. However, Volkavičius later clarified to "Delfi" that the video was merely a prank. He explained that his trip to Belarus was for visiting castles and exploring historical roots, akin to "true Lithuanian patriots."

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I am safe, the plan worked, now, as they say, I am starting a new chapter in Belarus.

Volkavičius admitted the joke about hiding and saving his children from being taken away was spontaneous. He revealed it stemmed from past experiences where child welfare services were involved due to issues with his three wives, leaving him with a lingering resentment. He expressed a strong belief that parents should not be terrorized and that they, not child welfare agencies, are the ultimate authority over their children. He drew a parallel to Filipino mothers who, he noted, do not have child welfare systems and believe parents are solely responsible for their children.

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Since most Lithuanians are afraid to go to Belarus, we are sacrificing ourselves for them and, as they say, sharing authentic images from our former Grand Duchy of Lithuania.

"The thought about child rights is always there. Filipino women don't understand it; it's unacceptable to them, but since they live here, there are laws. But I told child rights that if there were any problems, I would take the children to the Philippines, and no one would reach us," he said, emphasizing the ironic intent behind his original statement.

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When I said I was going to Belarus, someone commented, 'Why?', and the thought immediately occurred to me, I said I was hiding the children, saving them so they wouldn't be taken away. I threw out such a joke, and everyone took the bait.