On Wednesday, a diplomatic note expressing strong protest regarding the launch of balloons from the neighboring country on Tuesday evening was handed to the chargé d'affaires of Belarus in Lithuania.
According to a statement from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, it was also noted that the repeated violations of Lithuanian airspace by Belarus are regarded as serious violations of international law, posing a threat to security.
A representative of the Belarusian embassy in Lithuania was demanded to ensure that Minsk immediately ceases such violations and fulfills its international obligations to maintain control over the airspace and the state border of the country.
On Tuesday evening, the largest balloon incursion from Belarus this year was recorded. As a result, Vilnius Airport had to halt operations three times, affecting 1,700 passengers.
By Wednesday morning, eight balloons had been discovered, four individuals were detained, and remnants of several balloons were also found.
In mid-December, the government declared a state of emergency due to balloons that disrupted the operations of Vilnius Airport and posed a threat to civil aviation.
According to the ministry, during a summoned representative of the Belarusian embassy to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, it was emphasized that in the event of similar incidents recurring, Lithuania reserves the right to reinstate movement restrictions at the border or take other measures.
The border with Belarus had already been closed for some time in October of last year.
Leave a comment