Фото: Reform.by
Nearly 5,000 Lithuanian trucks and trailers remain in Belarus following the closure of the Lithuanian-Belarusian border. They can leave the country only after the border reopens, the State Customs Committee of Belarus said.
The Committee noted that allowing Lithuanian carriers to cross the national border is the direct responsibility of the Lithuanian authorities.
Commenting on the Lithuanian government’s decision to ban Lithuanian trucks from exiting via Poland and Latvia, the Committee said the measure was proportionate and intended to “protect the interests of Belarusian and other bona fide carriers.”
“Previously, a significant number of Lithuanian carriers used alternative checkpoints to enter Belarus. After the closure of the border with Lithuania and their mass redirection to the Belarusian-Polish and Belarusian-Latvian routes, serious congestion emerged at those sections.
This led to multi-kilometer queues, long idle times for Belarusian and transit carriers, significant economic losses, and disruptions to delivery schedules,” the Committee said.
Lithuania closed its border checkpoints with Belarus for a month in response to the launch of meteorological balloons from Belarusian territory. Entry to Lithuania remains permitted for EU citizens and holders of Lithuanian residence permits.
Earlier today, the Lithuanian National Road Carriers’ Association LINAVA said that Belarus was refusing to allow trucks carrying non-Belarusian goods to leave, even when their drivers were Lithuanian citizens or held Lithuanian residence permits.
The Belarusian government has issued a resolution allowing trucks with Lithuanian license plates to operate only along the Belarusian-Lithuanian section of the border.