Lithuania backed down: one of the points on the border with Belarus may be opened

The border of Lithuania and Belarus. Photo: Janis Laizans / REUTERS
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Lithuania plans to open the previously closed Shalchininkai checkpoint on the border with Belarus for trucks. This was stated by the head of the Lithuanian Interior Ministry Vladislav Kondratovich.

According to him, it is planned to contact Minsk on this issue.

"A large group is located... at the Shalchininkai checkpoint, there from the Belarusian side, in Benyakoni… We assume that vehicles can start moving through this point, since they have nowhere else to go. There are both drivers and trailers. At the technical level, we will most likely send a message through our border guards about the possibility of using Shalchininkai for this particular transport. Let's see how Belarus will react," he said.

It is expected that vehicles located in the "neutral zone" in the PP area will be allowed to pass.

"If an agreement is reached that the vehicles that are actually located in the neutral zone will pass ... near the border, we will definitely move, and then we'll see," Kondratovich said.

Lithuania unilaterally closed its border for a month at the end of October. Because of this, thousands of trucks and trailers are stuck in Belarus. At the same time, Vilnius blames Minsk for what is happening, although the Belarusian side has always called for dialogue.