{"id":167392,"date":"2025-12-09T13:57:48","date_gmt":"2025-12-09T10:57:48","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/pozirk.online\/en\/news\/167392\/"},"modified":"2026-03-09T20:10:49","modified_gmt":"2026-03-09T20:10:49","slug":"lukasenka-reiterates-refusal-to-release-lithuanian-trucks-dismisses-concerns-about-cigarette-smuggling-balloons","status":"publish","type":"articles","link":"https:\/\/pozirk.online\/en\/news\/167392\/","title":{"rendered":"\u0141uka\u0161enka reiterates refusal to release Lithuanian trucks, dismisses concerns about cigarette-smuggling balloons"},"content":{"rendered":"\n
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\n (State Customs Committee)<\/span>\n <\/div>\n <\/figcaption>\n<\/figure>\n\n\n\n

December 9, Pozirk.<\/em><\/strong> Alaksandar \u0141uka\u0161enka has reiterated that Minsk will not release hundreds of Lithuania-registered trucks with cargos held in Belarus unless Vilnius agrees to direct negotiations.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cNo need to shout like crazy and make much noise. No need to involve Americans, Russians or Ukrainians. It will not work. This topic is for our negotiations and our relations,\u201d state media quoted him as saying at a government security conference in Minsk today.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cWe can always reach an agreement with the people of Lithuania, like with the Poles. These are our people. If you want normal relations, sit at the negotiating table to discuss these problems. We are ready for it. There are no other options,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

He also dismissed concerns about weather balloons launched from Belarus to smuggle cigarettes to Lithuania. Earlier today, Vilnius declared an \u201cextreme situation\u201d\u2014a low-level emergency to stop balloons disrupting airport operations.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cI talked to flyers, pilots. They say that this is not a problem [for aircraft] at all. The problem has been blown out of proportion, politicized. Why, this is a question,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Lithuania declared an \u201cextreme situation\u201d at least for a month to see if it can cope with weather balloons, Lithuanian Interior Minister Vladislav Kondratovi\u010d, in charge of the response operation, said.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The extreme situation gives the military \u201cspecial powers to act more effectively\u2014both together with units of the Ministry of Internal Affairs and independently,\u201d Kondratovi\u010d said.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Tensions between Belarus and Lithuania over cigarette-smuggling balloons have been rising since mid-October, prompting Lithuanian authorities to close the border and suspend operations at Vilnius International Airport, which is located close to the Belarusian border.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Last week, Kondratovi\u010d said nearly 600 weather balloons and 197 drones had been spotted in Lithuania since January. The incidents disrupted 350 flights, affecting about 51,000 passengers.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Vilnius International Airport has suspended operations for more than 60 hours since October, most recently on December 6.<\/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. Hundreds of 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 has ignored Minsk\u2019s appeals for direct diplomatic talks because it significantly downgraded official contacts after what it called rigged 2020 presidential election in Belarus.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Minsk pushes for consultations between the countries\u2019 foreign ministries, while Lithuania views possible talks as an effort to break the international isolation of \u0141uka\u0161enka\u2019s regime and potentially pave the way for easing sanctions.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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