Lithuania to reopen border crossings with Belarus ahead of schedule

By Ilayda Cakirtekin

ISTANBUL (AA) – The Lithuanian government has decided to reopen its border crossings with Belarus earlier than the originally scheduled Nov. 30 date, officials announced Wednesday, according to public broadcaster LRT.

Lithuanian Interior Minister Vladislavas Kondratovicius told a Cabinet meeting that operations would resume on Thursday.

On Oct. 29, the government said the Salcininkai-Benekainys and Medininkai-Kamenyj Log crossing points would be temporarily closed for a month.

Kondratovicius said that following the National Security Commission’s Nov. 18 decisions, the situation had changed and the border restrictions imposed were no longer necessary for domestic security.

“It is therefore appropriate to lift the restrictions on crossing the border set out in the government resolution,” he added.

Lithuania’s decision to close its border crossings came after helium balloons from Belarus repeatedly entered its airspace, prompting the country to shut airports and border points.

On Monday, Poland also reopened two border crossings with Belarus, a Russian ally, that were closed in recent years as relations between the neighboring countries deteriorated.