Lithuanian hauliers are holding a protest in Vilnius, organized by the Linava association.
Trucks have parked along Gediminas Avenue in the capital. They began gathering from 9:30 a.m. local time. The protest itself is scheduled to start at noon (1:00 p.m. Minsk time). A total of up to 100 trucks may be brought to the protest, a number approved by the city administration.
A condition set by city authorities for holding the protest is that intersections, pedestrian crossings, and exits must not be blocked. As reported by Delfi, Linava received a letter in the morning from a group of hauliers warning that they do not intend to comply with police requirements. Another group of hauliers plans to block the A1 Vilnius–Kaunas–Klaipėda highway. Linava has distanced itself from these initiatives.
“All options suit us — what matters is the result. If Lithuania wants to walk away with its head held high, and that cannot be achieved with the help of partners in the European Union or the Americans, and if negotiations with the Belarusian regime are impossible, which is understandable, then the government must take all steps to compensate hauliers for all losses, including the market value of trucks and semi-trailers.
When we see how the government operates and how it makes decisions, the likelihood that we will not get the trucks back is high,” said the head of the association, Erlandas Mikenis, as quoted by the outlet.
The situation with trucks in Belarus is not the only reason for the protest. Hauliers also intend to raise issues related to taxation and regulation of the transport sector.
