NATO state threatens to close border with Belarus

Lithuania has alleged that balloons carrying contraband cigarettes have crossed over from its neighbor

Lithuanian Prime Minister Inga Ruginiene has threatened to close the border with neighboring Belarus, Lithuanian National Radio (LRT) reported on Wednesday.

She said the measure would be in response to an alleged flow of balloons carrying contraband cigarettes across the border, according to the public broadcaster.

“If such balloons cross our border en masse again, we will react immediately and close the border with Belarus,” Ruginiene told journalists on Wednesday, according to LRT.

She also reportedly expressed skepticism that Vilnius could “sit down with this neighbor and reach an agreement on anything.”

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“There’s currently no information that this is a coordinated operation by [Belarusian President Alexander] Lukashenko. This is about smuggling contraband cigarettes,” she added.

According to the Baltic News Service, dozens of contraband balloons crossed into Lithuania overnight on Tuesday, disturbing flights to and from Vilnius airport.

Belarusian border authorities reported that Lithuania unilaterally stopped border crossings for around six hours early on Wednesday.

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The head of the Lithuanian National Road Carriers’ Association (LINAVA), Narunas Raulinaitis, questioned the “proportionality” of the halt.

“An air incident should not become a pretext for paralyzing road transport,” as transport sector workers already face intolerable conditions and waits at the border, LRT cited the transport association boss as saying.

Currently, Lithuania only has two open border crossings with Belarus, having shut two down last March and two others in August of 2023.