Кястутис Будрис. Фото: urm.lt
Lithuania is preparing a note of protest to Belarus over the incursion of weather balloons on the night of January 27–28 and will pass information to the United States to seek joint solutions. This was stated today by Lithuanian Foreign Minister Kęstutis Budrys, LRT reported.
“What falls within my authority and what we are working on now is the preparation of a note of protest to Belarus regarding the violation of airspace. We are preparing information for our partners in the European Union and the European Commission, and a meeting of the Foreign Affairs Council will take place, at which we will also present this information,” Budrys said.
According to Budrys, the Lithuanian side will pass all information to the United States in order to jointly develop concrete solutions.
“All information about the actions being carried out against us will also be passed to the American side. Together we will seek not only wording to describe what is happening, but also very concrete solutions. We have constant contacts. We have a large representation in Washington, and we interact not only through it. We pass on information and observations, and there is ongoing communication.
During this period, starting in December, we have provided information, and after yesterday’s events all of this will be systematized: one part will go to the Belarusian side, another to our allies. These are our working tools, and we use all of them,” Budrys said.
Asked whether the latest incursion of weather balloons could be considered actions by the Belarusian authorities against Lithuania, Budrys said he would like to wait for additional information.
“There are various possible explanations as to who is responsible for the smuggling balloons, but we should not jump ahead,” the Lithuanian foreign minister said.
On the night from Tuesday to Wednesday, the most massive weather balloon incursion into Lithuania since the start of the year was recorded, with 42 balloons entering from Belarus. This led to the suspension of operations at Vilnius Airport. By morning, eight weather balloons had been found.
Earlier, Lithuania’s prime minister said that the problem of balloons from Belarus had been resolved with the help of the United States.