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Alexander Lukashenko, opening the Minsk Conference on Eurasian Security, accused Lithuania of attempting to obstruct the event. He made the remark in reference to the Lithuanian government’s suspension of border checkpoint operations following the entry of contrabandists’ balloons into Lithuanian airspace, which had repeatedly led to the closure of Vilnius Airport.
“I want to welcome you to the Belarusian capital at the third International Conference on Eurasian Security. This conference has been awaited not only by us, the participants, but also by our opponents, who are closely watching Minsk today. Not everyone was supposed to reach Minsk. That was precisely the goal of some of our neighbors when they pulled off this crazy stunt — closing the border,” he said.
Lukashenko called Lithuania’s claims about contraband balloons absurd.
“They came up with an absurd excuse — balloons. Even for such a small country as Lithuania, that’s petty. And the most astonishing thing is that they’re demanding an apology from us — I received that information this morning. You know, if you’re guilty, you should always apologize. If we are convinced that we’re to blame — and they’re trying to convince us now — we’re ready to discuss it publicly and apologize. That’s certain.
But if some balloons carrying cigarettes or something else are flying there, I think the issue should be resolved on their side. They didn’t just fly off into nowhere — someone there received them or is receiving them, someone is interested in it. Such things should be identified and stopped at the root.
That’s just my general remark, since I’m sure you’ve followed the issue. I state responsibly: there is no talk of any major smuggling. But this says a lot about the political significance of our conference, since they’re trying to block it,” Lukashenko said.
He also linked recent developments to Poland’s border closure in September.
“These actions are clearly not only by our neighbors but by Europe as a whole and other forces. And let’s not delude ourselves about the United States — this is another element of hybrid warfare, just like Warsaw’s recent border closure. And what has it led to? At best, the People’s Republic of China, which once delivered goods to Europe through Ukraine by agreement, now, naturally, because of the front, routed everything through Belarus. China, together with Russia, found alternative routes — through the Northern Sea Route — which increased cargo movement and caused huge losses as a result.
Not only did Belarus earn from transit, but Poland as well. From Chinese transit alone — and I’m speaking only about China — Poland earned 65–70%, while the remaining 30–35% came from the movement of goods from Kazakhstan, Russia, and through Belarus. Who lost out? It’s obvious. Now they’re trying to find a way out of this situation — but it’s unlikely.
You know what China is and how it approaches such matters. This is the 21st century — closed skies, barbed wire, complete rejection of dissent — and it’s only the beginning. They are afraid that an alternative point of view might be voiced here. They fear all of us — you, your analysis, your understanding of the situation, your ability to convey it to people, your voice. And despite everything, you came to Minsk — for that, I thank you. We are always glad to welcome you in Minsk,” he said.