MINSK, 18 November (BelTA) - The Lithuanian government will make a decision on the border regime with Belarus on 19 November, taking into account the results of the border agencies’ talks between the two countries scheduled for 18 November, Head of the Lithuanian Parliamentary Committee on Foreign Policy Remigijus Motuzas said, TASS reports.
According to him, the final decision on the border regime should be expected at the Cabinet meeting on 19 November. Vilnius intends to reopen the border with Belarus before the originally planned date of 30 November.
Remigijus Motuzas noted that the border crisis is much more extensive than previously assumed. The demand to reopen the border comes not only from some Lithuanian carriers but also from countries dissatisfied with disrupted supply chains.
"Today we are focusing more on the problems of our carriers. Yes, this is very important, but as diplomats we know that this problem has arisen on a broader scale: Central Asia, China, and other countries are also dissatisfied because various supply chains and the movement of goods have been disrupted. So this issue is much more significant," he said.
The upcoming talks on 18 November will involve staff from the border services of Lithuania and Belarus. The Lithuanian State Border Guard has announced that technical-level talks at the border are scheduled to take place this afternoon.
The Lithuanian National Road Carriers’ Association (LINAVA) believes that Belarus did not make mistakes in this situation, and that Lithuania should have caught smugglers with balloons on its own territory instead of closing the borders. In Vilnius last weekend, Lithuanian freight carriers held a protest against the closure of border crossings with Belarus to show the authorities that there is legitimate business in the country suffering losses due to the border closure.
On 29 October the Lithuanian government authorized closing the border crossings at the Lithuanian-Belarusian border till 30 November. The border crossing Salcininkai (Benyakoni on the Belarusian side) is closed to all traffic while the border crossing Medininkai (Kamenny Log on the Belarusian side) is still open to individuals, for whom exceptions have been made.
Remigijus Motuzas noted that the border crisis is much more extensive than previously assumed. The demand to reopen the border comes not only from some Lithuanian carriers but also from countries dissatisfied with disrupted supply chains.
"Today we are focusing more on the problems of our carriers. Yes, this is very important, but as diplomats we know that this problem has arisen on a broader scale: Central Asia, China, and other countries are also dissatisfied because various supply chains and the movement of goods have been disrupted. So this issue is much more significant," he said.
The upcoming talks on 18 November will involve staff from the border services of Lithuania and Belarus. The Lithuanian State Border Guard has announced that technical-level talks at the border are scheduled to take place this afternoon.
The Lithuanian National Road Carriers’ Association (LINAVA) believes that Belarus did not make mistakes in this situation, and that Lithuania should have caught smugglers with balloons on its own territory instead of closing the borders. In Vilnius last weekend, Lithuanian freight carriers held a protest against the closure of border crossings with Belarus to show the authorities that there is legitimate business in the country suffering losses due to the border closure.
On 29 October the Lithuanian government authorized closing the border crossings at the Lithuanian-Belarusian border till 30 November. The border crossing Salcininkai (Benyakoni on the Belarusian side) is closed to all traffic while the border crossing Medininkai (Kamenny Log on the Belarusian side) is still open to individuals, for whom exceptions have been made.
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