February 7, Pozirk. The closure of Lavoriškės and Raigardas checkpoints would help Lithuania enforce Western sanctions, LRT reported yesterday, citing Interior Minister Agnė Bilotaitė.
The move would also improve control over smuggling and the vetting of travelers coming from Belarus, she said.
The closure of Lavoriškės (Katłoŭka in Belarus) will reduce the cross-border traffic by 14 percent and Raigardas (Pryvałka), by 18 percent, the official noted.
Smuggling remains a problem at Raigardas, she said, noting that seizures rose from €6 million in 2022 to €17 million in 2023.
She noted that 80 percent of Belarusians traveling through Lavoriškės are going to Poland for shopping, while Lithuanian border control officers bear the heavy burden of processing such travelers.
Earlier the same day, the Lithuanian National Security Commission suggested closing down Lavoriškės and Raigardas.
On August 18, Lithuania closed the Šumskas and Tverečius checkpoints at the border with Belarus, citing security concerns and the lack of equipment for scanning truck trailers.
Along with Lavoriškės and Raigardas, Lithuania continues operating the Medininkai checkpoint at its shared border with Belarus.
