MINSK, 22 February (BelTA) – Lithuania’s decision to close two more border checkpoints Kotlovka - Lavorishki and Privalka - Raigardas on 1 March 2024 and to restrict passenger traffic is an absolutely politically motivated step, prompted, among other things, by the election campaign considerations, reads a commentary by the press service of the Belarusian Ministry of Foreign Affairs over Lithuania's plans to close two border checkpoints, BelTA has learned.
"Vilnius is cosplaying Poland and Latvia’s behavior during last year’s national election campaigns. The goal is to artificially make an enemy out of the neighboring Belarus and to cover up their own missteps in the economy, their poor policies in the transport industry, a thoughtless arms race, violence against migrants at the border. The increasing flow of visa-waiver visitors from Lithuania to Belarus who then tell the truth about our country remains an extremely inconvenient thing for the Lithuanian authorities," the Belarusian Ministry of Foreign Affairs said.
The reasons the Lithuanian government cited to justify their decision "are more laughable than outrageous." "Such reasons as the danger of infiltration of migrants and KGB agents in Belarusian buses, problems with queues, which are supposed to be solved by closing border checkpoints, the ‘neighbors do it too’ arguments simply do not really require any comment. All this, by the way, is happening on the border of the EU with the tacit consent of Brussels and other member states of the European Union," the ministry added.
"Belarus will have to retaliate harshly against these extremely unfriendly actions by Vilnius, taking into account the interests of its citizens and, as far as possible, residents of the neighboring countries. Once again, we call on the Lithuanian side to abandon the practice of misinforming its own population, violating the rights to freedom of movement and trade for the sake of its political ambitions," the ministry concluded.
