An archive photo
MINSK, 13 November (BelTA) – As reported by Jolanta Blažytė for the Lithuanian portal 77.lt, Lithuanian truckers remain stranded in Belarus due to the border closure, and the authorities in Vilnius have taken no action to help them.
Jolanta Blažytė reports that while trucks are stuck in Belarus, it is the Belarusian authorities – not the Lithuanian government – who are attending to the drivers. The Belarusians escorted the drivers to the Lithuanian border and accommodated those unwilling to return in hotels, providing them with meals.
Meanwhile, the author notes, Lithuanian Prime Minister Inga Ruginienė is heading to the Lithuanian-Belarusian border “to take a selfie.” Jolanta Blažytė draws an analogy to a previous incident where an American tank sank at the Pabradė training ground, and the media published photos of the then Minister of National Defense, Dovilė Šakalienė, visiting the scene. The author points out that in neither case did selfies resolve the situation: the NATO tank sank, and the business of Lithuanian carriers also continues to go down.
The author also brings up a recent case where a plane, unable to land in Vilnius due to either bad weather or stray balloons, was diverted to Kaunas Airport. Jolanta Blažytė describes the absurdity that ensued: the passengers were unable to disembark because the Kaunas Airport staff were already asleep. Tired of waiting, two passengers jumped out of the open plane door and ‘disappeared into the fog.’ A police search for the escaped passengers subsequently prevented the plane from returning to Vilnius. The author is outraged that Lithuania’s backup airport does not operate nonstop in case of crisis.
This situation prompted the Presidium of the Lithuanian Association of Road Carriers (LINAVA) to demand that the Lithuanian authorities begin “at least minimal diplomatic dialogue with Minsk” as soon as possible. In an official statement on 11 November, LINAVA stated that the government’s decision to close the border with Belarus had imposed a “severe economic blockade on carriers.” The association called for the opening of at least one border crossing, the protection and evacuation of carriers, and the preparation of measures to compensate for losses.
In response, the prime minister described the carriers’ demands to open the border as “exaggerated emotionalism,” adding that they should have “prepared for such situations in advance” and “assessed the risks themselves.” Lithuanian Foreign Minister Kęstutis Budrys stated that the border would not be reopened.
In contrast, Belarus is doing everything possible to assist the stranded truckers. According to Deputy Healthcare Minister Svetlana Nechai, all necessary conditions have been created for the Lithuanian drivers, including the prompt setup of additional retail and catering services. Belarusian President Aleksandr Lukashenko had previously ordered talks with Lithuanian officials to normalize the situation at the border.
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