November 11, Pozirk. Alaksandar Łukašenka has instructed Foreign Minister Maksim Ryžankoŭ to negotiate “normalizing the situation and resuming full-fledged operation of checkpoints” on the Belarusian-Lithuanian border, his press office reports.
The Belarusian ruler’s move followed today’s meeting with Ryžankoŭ, State Border Committee Chairman Kanstancin Mołastaŭ and Committee for State Security (KGB) chief Ivan Tertel.
Belarusian Security Council head Alaksandar Valfovič will reportedly coordinate talks with Vilnius.
Tensions between Belarus and Lithuania over cigarette-smuggling balloons have been rising since mid-October, forcing Lithuanian authorities to briefly close the border on several occasions and suspend operations at Vilnius Airport, located close to the Belarusian border.
On October 29, the Lithuanian government ruled to keep the shared border with Belarus closed until November 30 following numerous airspace violations. The closure may be extended, Vilnius warned.
Belarus described the Lithuanian decision to close the border as “a politicized and ill-considered move” that has caused significant losses for transport companies. Minsk banned nearly 1,100 Lithuania-registered trucks stranded in Belarus from leaving, linking their release to border reopening.
