MINSK, 11 November (BelTA) - The Lithuanian authorities intend to contact Belarus again regarding the Lithuanian trucks stranded at the border, head of Lithuania's National Crisis Management Center (NCMC) Vilmantas Vitkauskas said, Lithuanian media report.
“A decision has been made to contact the Belarusian authorities again, this time at a higher level, specifically the chairman of Belarus' State Border Committee, with an aim of opening two border control points to create an evacuation corridor in two directions. These are Medininkai and Šalčininkai. We eagerly await the result,” Vilmantas Vitkauskas said after a government meeting on 10 November.
Furthermore, according to him, the Lithuanian authorities have approached the European Commission to resolve this issue. “It is necessary to assess this damage and then, possibly, negotiate on behalf of the European Commission,” Vilmantas Vitkauskas stated.
The NCMC head expressed confidence that “diplomatic measures will be sufficient” to resolve the current situation. He also noted that it is important for the authorities in Vilnius to determine the exact number of stranded trucks, which remains unknown.
“A decision has been made to contact the Belarusian authorities again, this time at a higher level, specifically the chairman of Belarus' State Border Committee, with an aim of opening two border control points to create an evacuation corridor in two directions. These are Medininkai and Šalčininkai. We eagerly await the result,” Vilmantas Vitkauskas said after a government meeting on 10 November.
Furthermore, according to him, the Lithuanian authorities have approached the European Commission to resolve this issue. “It is necessary to assess this damage and then, possibly, negotiate on behalf of the European Commission,” Vilmantas Vitkauskas stated.
The NCMC head expressed confidence that “diplomatic measures will be sufficient” to resolve the current situation. He also noted that it is important for the authorities in Vilnius to determine the exact number of stranded trucks, which remains unknown.
On 29 October, the Lithuanian authorities closed the road border with Belarus for one month. Traffic through the Šalčininkai checkpoint (Benyakoni on the Belarusian side) was completely halted, while operations at the Medininkai (Kamenny Log) checkpoint were restricted, with only specific categories of travelers allowed to cross.
On 6 November, it became known that Lithuania, having closed the border with Belarus, stated that it would ask the Belarusian side to allow Lithuanian freight vehicles to return to their territory. On 10 November, Belarusian President Aleksandr Lukashenko confirmed that Lithuania had sent a letter to the Lida Border Guard Unit (not to a government body, not to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, not to the government) in a manner that was “somewhere between a request and a demand” to open the border. On the same day, Aleksandr Lukashenko stated that Belarus is ready to open the border with Lithuania. It did not close it in the first place.
On the same day, the Belarusian Ministry of Foreign Affairs stated that the Lithuanian trucks stranded in Belarus on the access roads to the Kamenny Log and Benyakoni checkpoints would be relocated to designated parking areas to ensure their safety and security. The truck drivers are given the opportunity to leave Belarusian territory and return to Lithuania, leaving their trucks at the aforementioned parking sites. Drivers who are unable to leave Belarusian territory for various reasons will be provided with the necessary assistance.
On 6 November, it became known that Lithuania, having closed the border with Belarus, stated that it would ask the Belarusian side to allow Lithuanian freight vehicles to return to their territory. On 10 November, Belarusian President Aleksandr Lukashenko confirmed that Lithuania had sent a letter to the Lida Border Guard Unit (not to a government body, not to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, not to the government) in a manner that was “somewhere between a request and a demand” to open the border. On the same day, Aleksandr Lukashenko stated that Belarus is ready to open the border with Lithuania. It did not close it in the first place.
On the same day, the Belarusian Ministry of Foreign Affairs stated that the Lithuanian trucks stranded in Belarus on the access roads to the Kamenny Log and Benyakoni checkpoints would be relocated to designated parking areas to ensure their safety and security. The truck drivers are given the opportunity to leave Belarusian territory and return to Lithuania, leaving their trucks at the aforementioned parking sites. Drivers who are unable to leave Belarusian territory for various reasons will be provided with the necessary assistance.
As from 9.00 in the morning on 10 November, Belarus temporarily suspended the exit of all trucks with Lithuanian plates in a move to manage freight traffic, the State Border Committee of Belarus informed.
Photos by Leonid Shchelgov/BelTA
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