The Lithuanian government has decided to temporarily close the last two border checkpoints operating with Belarus. This measure was approved on October 29 at the initiative of the national security commission and will be in effect until November 30.
If necessary, this period may be extended. This decision is causing serious logistical problems for international freight carriers from Uzbekistan and other countries.
The "Medininkai" and "Shalchininkai" border checkpoints closed by Lithuania were of significant importance for Uzbek companies in delivering cargo to the European Union. In its official statement, the Ministry of Transport of Uzbekistan recommended that transport companies look for alternative routes for cargo shipments to the European Union.
The new restrictions are expected to seriously alter the logistics map of the region. Now, only diplomatic transport, citizens of the European Union and Switzerland, as well as persons with a residence permit in Lithuania, will be allowed to cross at the "Medininkai" checkpoint.
Additionally, transit cargo and passengers heading to and from the Kaliningrad region will also be allowed to pass through this checkpoint. Lithuanian Prime Minister Inga Ruginiene explained these strict measures by the increasing number of airspace violations by Belarus.
In particular, cases of using balloons to smuggle goods, mainly cigarettes, have been recorded. Lithuania has assessed these incidents as a "hybrid attack".
This decision was also supported by European Union institutions. However, the Belarusian customs service described Lithuania's actions as an "unfriendly policy" and emphasized that this could harm the economies of both countries.
It has been revealed that since 2023, Lithuania has been gradually reducing the number of border checkpoints operating with Belarus. Previously, "Medininkai" and "Shalchininkai" were the only functioning checkpoints.
The closure or restriction of border checkpoints is seen as one of the means of international political and economic pressure. In history, there are many examples of such measures significantly impacting trade routes and economic relations between entire regions.
