Lithuania Plans to Close Border Crossings with Belarus

Lithuania is preparing to shut down its border crossings with Belarus indefinitely after repeated sightings of balloons suspected of being used to smuggle cigarettes disrupted air traffic in the capital, Vilnius.

Prime Minister Ingrida Šimonytė announced on Monday that the government had drafted a proposal to close the borders following multiple incidents that forced Vilnius Airport to suspend flights for three consecutive nights, Friday, Saturday, and Sunday. The flight disruptions led to numerous cancellations, diversions, and delays, according to the Associated Press.

The security concerns have also affected Kaunas Airport, located farther from the Belarusian border, which experienced flight disturbances last Friday.

The Baltic News Service (BNS) reported that Lithuania’s two main border checkpoints with Belarus, Medininkai and Šalčininkai, were temporarily closed for several hours after balloon sightings. On Sunday evening, the country’s border guard authority decided to impose a 24-hour border shutdown.

Šimonytė confirmed that restrictions would remain in place until Wednesday, when the Cabinet is expected to decide whether to extend the closure indefinitely.

The proposed measure would include exceptions for diplomats and diplomatic cargo, while Lithuanian citizens and other EU nationals would still be permitted entry from Belarus.