After the Lithuanian government decided on Wednesday to open the border with Belarus earlier than planned, the "Mediininkai" and "Shalchinai" checkpoints resumed full operations at midnight.
"Exactly at midnight, as planned, the checkpoints resumed full operations," said Gedrius Misiutis, a representative of the State Border Guard Service of Lithuania, to BNS on Thursday.
According to him, there is currently no large flow of traffic. By midnight, 29 cars were expected at the "Mediininkai" checkpoint, and 15 at the "Shalchininkai" checkpoint.
"They are now starting to be allowed through the checkpoints, checks are beginning. There were no buses or trucks at the checkpoints, but they will appear," Misiutis said.
On October 30, the Lithuanian cabinet closed the border with Belarus for a month with some exceptions. This was done in response to the threat to civil aviation posed by smuggling balloons.
The "Shalchininkai-Benyakoni" crossing was completely closed, and traffic through the "Mediininkai-Kamenniy Log" crossing was restricted.
The restrictions lasted for more than two weeks.
After Poland opened two border crossings with Belarus on Monday, technical negotiations took place on Tuesday between Lithuanian and Belarusian border guards regarding the return of trucks stuck in the neighboring country, smuggling, and migrant issues.
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