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“We learned from the representatives of the State Border Guard Service that light transport, motivated by Covidu, is no longer allowed on the Lithuanian-Belarusian border,” Božena Zaborovska-Zdanovič, adviser to the interior minister, told BNS.
According to her, the Lithuanian representatives are trying to contact the Belarusian side to find out about the situation in detail.
The State Border Guard Committee states that such decision was made due to the epidemiological situation.
“Due to the epidemiological situation in neighboring countries, Belarus temporarily restricts the entry of certain categories of natural persons through the land border crossings of Latvia, Lithuania, Poland and Ukraine,” the committee said in a statement.
It also states that these restrictions do not apply to diplomatic service personnel holding diplomatic or service passports, as well as to drivers of international road transport trips and crews of international train travel.
Tractors can drive
Rustama Liubajev, head of the State Border Guard Service, told BNS that freight can cross the border.
“It just came to our notice then. It has changed since 4 in the afternoon, when Belarusian citizens who had permanent residence permits in Lithuania were not allowed to enter the territory of the Republic of Belarus. There was also a case of not admit Belarusian citizens with a permanent residence permit in Estonia, “said Liubayev.
“Passengers have been suspended since then. Freight transport continues to function,” he added.
Since passenger flows have dropped dramatically due to travel restrictions imposed during the pandemic and there are few people crossing the border, according to Liubayev, it is difficult to understand how strict these restrictions are and whether they apply only to Belarusian citizens or Lithuanian citizens. .
“They will probably not allow the entry of citizens of other countries and will close the border at all,” said the SBGS commander.
Lithuanian border officials are trying to contact colleagues on the Belarusian side and find out about the situation in detail.
“According to the Belarusian colleagues, this was due to the situation with the COVID-19 virus,” Liubayev said.
The reason is said to be COVID-19
Belarusian media report that the borders are also closed with Poland, Ukraine and Latvia.
“Unfortunately, the wall is now really closed. For many, it was unexpected, including us. Nobody waited. Don’t worry, this is definitely not a state of war. The reason is COVID-19, ”a duty officer at the Grodno border crossing told the Onliner news portal, responding to a question about the situation on the Lithuanian border.
Belarus has been protesting against authoritarian President Aliaksandr Lukashenko for more than two months.
Flights are not covered by the ban
The Belarusian portal tut.by writes that the borders are closed not only with Lithuania, but also with Latvia, Poland and Ukraine. Tractors and diplomatic cars are skipped, but cars are returned.
Belarusian customs officially confirmed that the borders had been closed due to the pandemic on Thursday night. It is true that planes in Minsk take off and land, because the ban is only valid for light surface transport. International trains are also missed.
Warn that you will not be able to return
The walls are said to have been closed in the second half of the day. It is true that the border guards miss everyone who wants to leave Belarus. Bus drivers and passengers are warned that they will not be able to return if they cross the border.
“Leave only if you leave Belarus indefinitely or permanently,” heard Belarusians trying to cross the border.
Tut.by writes that international passenger bus drivers refuse to leave. Some passengers are looking for ways to extend the trip in other ways.
Those who tried to return to Belarus from Lithuania had the most trouble.
Lukashenko called for the protests in the regions to be quelled with the help of the military.
Belarusian President Alexander Lukashenko, who replaced several heads of the country’s security services on Thursday, including the interior minister, said he was ready to send troops to quell mass protests by opposition supporters following the disputed election. of the country’s head of state in August.
On Thursday, Lukashenko fired Interior Minister Yuriy Karayev and appointed him vice-president-inspector in the Brest region. The Secretary of State of the Belarusian Security Council, Valery Vakulchyk, and the Deputy Minister of Internal Affairs, Aliaksandr Barsukov, were also fired. They were appointed to the post of Assistant to the President-Inspector in the Grodno and Minsk region.
Appointing the officers to the new post, A. Lukashenko said that V. Vakulčykas, J.Karajev and A.Barsukov “are not only going to very dangerous, but also very important areas of our country” and that the army will help them. to fulfill their new functions.
“The landing assault brigade in Brest focuses on this by law. And a huge brigade of motorcyclists is stationed in Grodno. This is a support for you and the officials of the power structures, the local governors, a component of the force. I say this openly and I do not hide it. Everyone has to understand that, “said the president.
Lukashenko said the newly appointed officials would have to “guarantee public safety.”
“This is very important to you as a military order in the field,” Lukashenko said, as quoted by the state news agency BelTA.
“And if you need the support of the armed forces, we will do it. This is my responsibility,” Lukashenko said.
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