{"id":167743,"date":"2025-12-11T16:33:24","date_gmt":"2025-12-11T13:33:24","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/pozirk.online\/en\/news\/167743\/"},"modified":"2026-03-09T20:10:49","modified_gmt":"2026-03-09T20:10:49","slug":"vilnius-may-consider-national-sanctions-closure-of-the-border-with-belarus","status":"publish","type":"articles","link":"https:\/\/pozirk.online\/en\/news\/167743\/","title":{"rendered":"Vilnius may consider national sanctions, closure of the border with Belarus"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

December<\/strong> 11, Pozirk<\/em><\/strong>.<\/em><\/strong> Lithuanian Prime Minister Inga Ruginien\u0117 told LRT<\/em> that Vilnius may consider national sanctions and the closure of the country\u2019s border with Belarus over incursions by cigarette-smuggling balloons.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

She noted that the number of incursions had fallen sharply when Lithuania kept its border closed from October 29 to 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 close the border and suspend operations at Vilnius International Airport, located close to the Belarusian border.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Two days ago, Lithuania declared a state of emergency (extreme situation) in response to what it called \u201ca hybrid attack from Belarus.\u201d<\/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 Interior Minister Vladislav Kondratovi\u010d said.<\/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

The government stressed that the extreme situation has been declared across the entire country, not just in specific regions.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Vilnius International Airport is operating as usual as long as security conditions allow, it added.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cEvery night, police, the Border Guard Service, the Criminal Service of Customs and the Military Police raid border areas, inspect thousands of vehicles and individuals, intercept balloons and seize contraband goods. Police are directly supported by the army, which tests means of neutralizing targets and participates in monitoring the airspace,\u201d the statement said.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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