Lithuania Shuts 2 Border Crossings with Belarus

On Friday, Lithuania closed an additional two border crossings with its neighbor Belarus, citing security reasons.

The checkpoints at Lavoriskes and Raigardas were shut down indefinitely from Friday, following a decision made by the Vilnius government in February.

Lithuanian Interior Minister Agne Bilotaite stated that this move aims to enhance the inspection processes for the flow of goods, transport, and individuals crossing the border, and to curb attempts at importing and exporting sanctioned goods and smuggling.

This action follows the closure of the Shumskas and Tverecius crossings in the summer of 2023 by the Vilnius government, leaving only Medininkai and Salcininkai operational out of the six crossings along the about 680-kilometer border between Lithuania, a member of both the European Union and NATO, and its authoritarian neighbor Belarus.

Pedestrians and cyclists will no longer be able to cross the border at these points, and passengers embarking and disembarking at the Kena and Kibartai railway checkpoints will also be prohibited, affecting transit trains traveling between Russia and its Kaliningrad exclave on the Baltic Sea through Lithuania.

Belarusian opposition leader Sviatlana Tsikhanouskaya criticized the border closures, suggesting they might create "iron curtains." Tsikhanouskaya, who lives in exile in Lithuania, expressed her concerns over the decision.

However, the Vilnius government dismissed these objections, with Minister Bilotaite asserting that the decisions are in line with contemporary national security challenges and the geopolitical situation.

She emphasized Lithuania's commitment to keeping the humanitarian corridor open for those fleeing the regime.