Lithuanian leader Gitanas Nauseda is calling for a long-term closure of the border with Belarus and a restriction on transit to Russia's Kaliningrad due to the threat of smuggling using weather balloons.
Points of attention
- The closure of checkpoints on the border with Belarus and the temporary suspension of airport operations are some of the immediate actions taken by Lithuania in response to suspected smuggling activities.
- Further government proposals are expected to address ways to enhance border security and combat smuggling threats posed by Belarus and potential provocations from Russia.
Nauseda made a new proposal
According to the Lithuanian leader, he carefully analyzed the incidents of recent days and disruptions in airport operations.
Nauseda publicly confirmed that he views this as a hybrid attack on his own country, to which it is extremely important to respond in both symmetric and asymmetric ways.
Against this background, he said that the government should soon propose ways to respond.
Among the options that should be considered are a prolonged closure of the border with Belarus and restrictions on transit to Kaliningrad.
Gitanas Nauseda
President of Lithuania
As mentioned earlier, on the night of October 26, Lithuania decided to close checkpoints on the border with Belarus.
This happened due to suspicions that weather probes with smuggled cigarettes had again arrived in Lithuania from the Belarusian side.
Moreover, the operation of Vilnius Airport was suspended.
On the evening of October 24, Lithuania closed its two largest airports and also temporarily suspended border crossings with Belarus due to weather conditions.
