{"id":166357,"date":"2025-12-01T15:15:23","date_gmt":"2025-12-01T12:15:23","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/pozirk.online\/en\/news\/166357\/"},"modified":"2026-03-09T20:10:49","modified_gmt":"2026-03-09T20:10:49","slug":"vilnius-does-not-consider-border-closure-in-response-to-cigarette-smuggling-balloons","status":"publish","type":"articles","link":"https:\/\/pozirk.online\/en\/news\/166357\/","title":{"rendered":"Vilnius does not consider border closure in response to cigarette-smuggling balloons"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

December 1, Pozirk.<\/em><\/strong> Vaidotas Jak\u0161tas, Lithuania\u2019s deputy interior minister, has confirmed that Vilnius does not consider border closure in response to continuing incursions by balloons carrying smuggled cigarettes from Belarus.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cWe must find other means, which could achieve a result, but we never rule out all measures,\u201d he said, noting that services spotted 57 balloons with contraband cigarettes on Sunday night and Monday morning.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Meanwhile, the Lithuanian government plans to provide \u20ac1 million to IT Logika, Teltonika \u0438 Dangaus \u013c\u016bdis to develop technological solutions to counter cigarette smuggling by air, said Lithuania\u2019s Ministry of Economy and Innovations.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Vilnius International Airport reported disruptions in its operations due to balloon incursions yesterday evening, marking the fifth such incident since November 20.<\/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

The Medininkai\u2013Kamienny \u0141oh and \u0160al\u010dininkai\u2013Bieniakoni checkpoints at the Lithuanian-Belarusian border remained closed from October 29 until November 20.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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