Copyright tass
MINSK, October 27. /TASS/. The Belarusian Foreign Ministry summoned the Lithuanian charge d'affaires and handed him a note of protest regarding the Lithuanian side's unilateral border closure, the ministry's press service reported. "Today, Lithuanian charge d'affaires in Belarus Erikas Vilkanecas was summoned to the Foreign Ministry, where he was handed a note of protest regarding the latest unilateral border closure by Lithuania, carried out without prior notification," the statement said. The ministry noted that this decision affects not only Belarusian citizens but also Lithuanian citizens and citizens of the EU and other states. It clearly demonstrates Vilnius's disregard for the fundamental principle of freedom of movement, which is one of the core values of the Schengen area and the EU, the diplomats added. "We are forced to note the anti-popular nature of such actions, in which ordinary people become hostages to the political situation. Unlike Lithuania, Belarus consistently advocates for the normalization of dialogue and practical cooperation on border control issues, which would benefit all citizens of our countries," the press service emphasized. Earlier, Lithuania closed two more checkpoints on the border with Belarus, leaving no functioning crossings in the area. Lithuanian Prime Minister Inga Rugiene told reporters that the country's authorities have prepared a plan to completely close the border with Belarus, which they intend to adopt on October 29. She stated that constant incidents involving the infiltration of weather balloons carrying contraband tobacco into Lithuania and the Belarusian authorities' unwillingness to stop these actions are forcing the complete closure of the border.
