{"id":165670,"date":"2025-11-26T11:24:04","date_gmt":"2025-11-26T08:24:04","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/pozirk.online\/en\/news\/165670\/"},"modified":"2026-03-10T12:05:06","modified_gmt":"2026-03-10T12:05:06","slug":"nauseda-smuggling-must-be-addressed-by-border-services-not-diplomats","status":"publish","type":"articles","link":"https:\/\/pozirk.online\/en\/news\/165670\/","title":{"rendered":"Naus\u0117da: smuggling must be addressed by border services, not diplomats"},"content":{"rendered":"\n
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\n (Lithuanian State Border Guard Service)<\/span>\n <\/div>\n <\/figcaption>\n<\/figure>\n\n\n\n

November 26, Pozirk.<\/em><\/strong> Lithuania is ready to cooperate with Belarus at a technical level to resolve tensions over cigarette-smuggling balloon incursions, Delfi <\/em>reports, citing Lithuanian President Gitanas Naus\u0117da.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Alaksandar \u0141uka\u0161enka\u2019s regime is trying to exploit uncertainty over the Ukraine peace plan and generate additional noise, but attempts to escalate or take the issue to the political level make no sense, he stressed.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

This statement referred to \u0141uka\u0161enka\u2019s remarks that he made yesterday at the meeting with Alaksandar Valfovi\u010d, state secretary of the Belarusian Security Council, as he insisted on a meeting of diplomats to resolve an ongoing impasse over Lithuanian trucks stranded in Belarus.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Last week, Minsk also proposed consultations between the countries\u2019 foreign ministries to create a mechanism ensuring stable border-crossing procedures and preventing future closures.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

 \u201cWe will not give in to blackmail, but we will not turn a deaf ear or close our doors,\u201d Naus\u0117da said. \u201cDiscussions should take place primarily at the technical level, because these are technical issues. . . They are meant to create a political effect, discontent and distrust in the authorities\u2019 decisions, but they are matters that border services on both sides can easily resolve.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Lithuania is maintaining close contacts with its allies, with the United States also involved, he noted.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Vilnius kept the Medininkai\u2013Kamienny \u0141oh and \u0160al\u010dininkai\u2013Bieniakoni checkpoints at the shared border with Belarus closed from October 29 to November 20 over the incursions. More than 1,200 Lithuanian trucks remain stranded on Belarusian territory since then.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Minsk barred these cargo vehicles from leaving the country and ordered them to move to guarded parking sites. Lithuania, in turn, accused Belarus of escalation by seizing the vehicles and preventing their return.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Vilnius might be reluctant to accept the invitation for diplomatic contact since Lithuania limited official contacts with Minsk after what it called rigged presidential election of 2020.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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