Trucks belonging to Lithuanian carriers stranded in Belarus due to the border closure will be relocated to specially designated parking areas near the “Katlouka” checkpoint. The drivers will be allowed to leave the country, according to a statement issued by the Belarusian Ministry of Foreign Affairs on Monday morning.
“In connection with Lithuania’s unilateral closure of checkpoints on the Belarusian-Lithuanian border, more than 1,100 freight vehicles belonging to Lithuanian carriers have accumulated in Belarus. In order to ensure the safety and preservation of these vehicles, which are mainly concentrated near the ‘Kamenny Loh’ and ‘Benyakoni’ checkpoints, the Belarusian side has decided to move them to specially equipped parking areas near the ‘Katlouka’ border crossing.”
“For humanitarian reasons, drivers have been given the opportunity to leave Belarus for their places of permanent residence until the Lithuanian side decides to fully reopen the border. We are ready to provide necessary assistance to those drivers who, for various reasons, are unable to leave Belarus,” the statement said.
In today’s statement, the ministry also warned Lithuania of “measures provided for by law.”
“We emphasize that all additional expenses incurred by freight carriers, shippers, and consignees in Lithuania, other European Union states, and beyond are caused exclusively by the ill-considered, voluntarist, and politicized actions of the Lithuanian authorities. At the same time, Belarus reserves the right to apply all measures provided for by law with regard to these vehicles,” the ministry said.
The Lithuanian government decided to close the border until November 30 in response to repeated incursions of meteorological balloons carrying contraband cigarettes from Belarus, which had repeatedly disrupted operations at Vilnius Airport. However, under the government’s decision, certain categories of people are still allowed to cross through the “Medininkai” checkpoint.
In response, Belarus restricted the exit of Lithuanian trucks to the Belarusian-Lithuanian section of the border. A significant number of vehicles became stranded in the country. Lithuania had expressed readiness to open the “Benyakoni–Šalčininkai” crossing for the departure of the stuck trucks and submitted a corresponding request to the Belarusian side.
On Friday, the press service of Alyaksandr Lukashenka reported that he had received a briefing from Kanstantsin Molostau, the head of the State Border Committee. Following the briefing, a decision was made regarding further actions by border guards on the Belarusian-Lithuanian border. On Saturday, it became known that Belarus refused to allow Lithuanian trucks to exit through the “Benyakoni–Šalčininkai” crossing. The Belarusian Foreign Ministry denies that Minsk is blocking the trucks’ departure and places responsibility for the situation on Lithuania.
Meanwhile, the Lithuanian government is also considering shutting down rail traffic across the border.