Natallia Dulina registered as an individual entrepreneur in Lithuania and runs online Italian language courses. She also managed to secure pension payments
Former political prisoner Natallia Dulina, who was released from the Homel women's penal colony in June 2025 and forcibly taken to Lithuania, was able to return to her beloved work as an Italian language teacher. Dulina told "Radio Svaboda" that she already has a residence permit in Lithuania, works legally, and is also learning Lithuanian.
Natallia Dulina. Photo by the press service of Tsikhanouskaya's Office
"After my release last year, I was confused for some time: no income, no pension, not even a release certificate. It was unclear how to live. But I pulled myself together and came up with what I would do — I would open an individual entrepreneurial activity. I already have freedom, I have knowledge, I need to work," Natallia said.
Now she teaches Italian language courses for Belarusians. They were organized by the Belarusian society in Italy "Talaka," led by Yulia Yukhno. Belarusians from other countries, not just Italy, can enroll in the courses. Everyone is invited, classes are held online.
Among the achievements to be proud of, Natallia also mentions that she managed to secure the payment of her Belarusian pension.
"At home, I was assigned an old-age pension, which was paid even while I was imprisoned, but once I was taken to Lithuania, the payments stopped. So here I decided to ensure they would start paying again, but it turned out not to be easy."
"I wrote a letter to the colony, to the Department of Execution of Punishments of the Ministry of Internal Affairs, appealed to the Homel court, to the Social Protection Fund (FSAN), and after several stages of correspondence, the pension began to be paid to my relatives according to my general power of attorney, they even returned what was withheld," Natallia Dulina said.
Natallia's Belarusian pension is small; in Lithuania, that money wouldn't even cover housing, she admitted.
"But it's not so offensive anymore, because I have over 40 years of work experience, I am recognized as a veteran of labor at home! Gradually, a sense of my own independence is emerging, and that helps," Dulina said.
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