Lithuania to ban entry of vehicles with Belarusian license plates

July 17, Pozirk. On July 18 Lithuania will stop allowing vehicles with Belarusian license plates to enter its territory, the Lithuanian Customs Department has announced.
The ban would apply to all Belarus-registered passenger cars regardless of the nationality of their owner or driver, it said, citing the European Union Council regulation 2024/1865 of 29 June 2024.
Latvia cited the same regulation a few days ago, banning the entry of vehicles with Belarusian license plates starting July 16.
The regulation, however, is not categorical and gives member states enough room for maneuver not to impose an all-out ban.
It provides that the competent authorities may authorize the entry of vehicles owned by Belarusians with valid visas or resident permits and driving the vehicles into the EU for strict personal use.
Lithuanian Customs Department said that Belarusians with valid visas or residence permits can enter Lithuania in their vehicles until August 16, provided the vehicle is intended for personal use and not for sale. This clause does not apply to company-owned cars or vehicles used for commercial purposes.
Those Belarusians, whose vehicles are already in Lithuania, have until January 18 to take them out of the country or register the vehicles in Lithuania.
In six months, driving vehicles with Belarusian license plates in Lithuania will be considered illegal and punishable by a fine or confiscation.
The ban does not apply to diplomatic vehicles, the Customs Department noted.
The Lithuanian foreign ministry has not yet commented on the new regulations.

Opposition politician calls on Latvia to reconsider ban on Belarusian cars
- PoliticsDiplomats slam Minsk’s poor human rights record at UN HRCThe material is available only to POZIRK+
- Economy, PoliticsŁukašenka calls for boosting Russia-led bloc’s economic performanceThe material is available only to POZIRK+
- Politics, SecurityBelarus hosts sixth Russia-Ukraine PoW swap this monthThe material is available only to POZIRK+
- PoliticsUN rapporteur: no progress on human rights in BelarusThe material is available only to POZIRK+
- PoliticsPolish minority leader calls for Poczobut’s releaseThe material is available only to POZIRK+
- Politics, SecurityBiałystok politician pushes for reopening border checkpoints with BelarusThe material is available only to POZIRK+
- SocietyRussian student deported for stealing from shopThe material is available only to POZIRK+
- Economy
- Politics, SecurityBelarus’ defense minister meets with Indian counterpartThe material is available only to POZIRK+
- Society
- Politics, SecurityLatvia extends enhanced border security until the end of the yearThe material is available only to POZIRK+
- Economy
- Politics, Security
- PoliticsProsecutor claims applications from returnees doubled this yearThe material is available only to POZIRK+
- Politics
- PoliticsLithuanian Seimas approves national sanctions against Belarus, RussiaThe material is available only to POZIRK+
- PoliticsIran’s president cancels trip to Minsk amid Middle East tensionsThe material is available only to POZIRK+
- Politics
- PoliticsCoE, pro-democracy forces discuss cooperation in StrasbourgThe material is available only to POZIRK+
- SocietyWomen deprived of basic health care in Belarus’ prisons – dissident doctorThe material is available only to POZIRK+