{"id":176614,"date":"2026-02-20T19:12:29","date_gmt":"2026-02-20T16:12:29","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/pozirk.online\/en\/news\/176614\/"},"modified":"2026-03-09T20:10:49","modified_gmt":"2026-03-09T20:10:49","slug":"belarus-holds-496-lithuanian-trucks-575-semi-trailers-linava","status":"publish","type":"articles","link":"https:\/\/pozirk.online\/en\/news\/176614\/","title":{"rendered":"Belarus holds 496 Lithuanian trucks, 575 semi-trailers – LINAVA"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

February 20, Pozirk.<\/em> <\/strong>LINAVA, the Lithuanian National Road Carriers Association, has updated its data on Lithuanian equipment seized by Belarus in what appears to be a major dispute over assets between the two countries.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Erlandas Mikienas, president of LINAVA, said that Belarus still holds 496 Lithuanian trucks and 575 semi-trailers, Delfi<\/em> reported. He added that LINAVA has received data from 149 companies, noting that some companies reported losses of hundreds of thousands of euros.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Company executives have denied claims that some of the trucks stranded in Belarus during the border closure between October 29 and November 30 have since returned to Lithuania.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

One executive, quoted by LINAVA, said his company continues to receive demands from Belarusian authorities to pay a \u20ac120 daily parking fee, which he described as \u201ca ransom.\u201d \u201cBut payment does not mean that you can get the truck,\u201d he added.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Another executive, speaking on condition of anonymity, said Belarusian authorities had given his company until February 3 to pay parking fees, warning that the vehicle would otherwise be confiscated.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Most drivers have returned to Lithuania and are now working on other routes, LINAVA said.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Lithuania closed the Medininkai\u2013Kamienny \u0141oh and \u0160al\u010dininkai\u2013Bieniakoni border checkpoints from October 29 to November 20 following incursions by air balloons carrying smuggled cigarettes from Belarus. Since then, the trucks have remained stranded on Belarusian territory.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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

Vilnius has refused Minsk\u2019s appeals for direct diplomatic talks, having significantly downgraded official contacts after what it described as Belarus\u2019 rigged 2020 presidential election.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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

Speaking at a government conference on December 9, the Belarusian leader outlined what Minsk would like to discuss in potential talks with Vilnius.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cGive us back the 17 or 20 trucks that you stole \u2014 the fire engines we shipped to Zimbabwe. Normalize operations at our health resort, where we treated children affected by Chernobyl. They actually took the resort away from children. And give us back the money we spent on building a port [in Lithuania],\u201d he was quoted as saying by state media.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u0141uka\u0161enka was likely referring to the Belorus health resort in Druskininkai and Bie\u0142aru\u015bkalij\u2019s 30 percent stake in Biri\u0173 Krovini\u0173 Terminalas (BKT), a dry cargo terminal in Klaip\u0117da.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Lithuania suspended the transshipment of Belarusian fertilizers through the port of Klaip\u0117da on February 1, 2022, citing human rights abuses by Minsk. Bie\u0142aru\u015bkalij has been under EU sanctions since 2021.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

In August 2022, the Belarusian leader accused Lithuania of expropriating Bie\u0142aru\u015bkalij\u2019s assets.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\n\n
\n \"\"