Lithuania to ban entry of vehicles with Belarusian license plates

July 17, Pozirk. On July 18 Lithuania will stop allowing vehicles with Belarusian license plates to enter its territory, the Lithuanian Customs Department has announced.
The ban would apply to all Belarus-registered passenger cars regardless of the nationality of their owner or driver, it said, citing the European Union Council regulation 2024/1865 of 29 June 2024.
Latvia cited the same regulation a few days ago, banning the entry of vehicles with Belarusian license plates starting July 16.
The regulation, however, is not categorical and gives member states enough room for maneuver not to impose an all-out ban.
It provides that the competent authorities may authorize the entry of vehicles owned by Belarusians with valid visas or resident permits and driving the vehicles into the EU for strict personal use.
Lithuanian Customs Department said that Belarusians with valid visas or residence permits can enter Lithuania in their vehicles until August 16, provided the vehicle is intended for personal use and not for sale. This clause does not apply to company-owned cars or vehicles used for commercial purposes.
Those Belarusians, whose vehicles are already in Lithuania, have until January 18 to take them out of the country or register the vehicles in Lithuania.
In six months, driving vehicles with Belarusian license plates in Lithuania will be considered illegal and punishable by a fine or confiscation.
The ban does not apply to diplomatic vehicles, the Customs Department noted.
The Lithuanian foreign ministry has not yet commented on the new regulations.

Opposition politician calls on Latvia to reconsider ban on Belarusian cars
- Politics, SecurityBelarusian diplomats to attend Helsinki+50 conferenceThe material is available only to POZIRK+
- PoliticsMinsk declares jewelry brand extremistThe material is available only to POZIRK+
- PoliticsGeorgia: Migration officers notify Belarusian embassy of detaining émigréThe material is available only to POZIRK+
- PoliticsSome 70 political prisoners convicted of malicious disobedience – ViasnaThe material is available only to POZIRK+
- Economy, PoliticsŁukašenka reiterates willingness to export engines and medicines to CubaThe material is available only to POZIRK+
- Politics, SocietyMałanka Media journalist beaten in VilniusThe material is available only to POZIRK+
- PoliticsLithuanian MP appeals to prosecutor’s office regarding Cichanoŭski’s remarksThe material is available only to POZIRK+
- Politics, Society
- Germany news, Politics
- PoliticsRights defenders declare eight people to be political prisonersThe material is available only to POZIRK+
- Politics, SocietyDeadline misstep leads to deportation for Belarusian family in SwedenThe material is available only to POZIRK+
- EconomyBelarus shows low coverage of external debt by international reservesThe material is available only to POZIRK+
- SocietyPoland seizes Belarusian cigarettes hidden in trucksThe material is available only to POZIRK+
- Politics, SocietyMoscow reasserts naming rules for Belarusian Orthodox ChurchThe material is available only to POZIRK+
- Economy, PoliticsPoland sanctions Belarusian Cement CompanyThe material is available only to POZIRK+
- Economy
- Politics, SocietyInterior ministry brands brother of jailed journalist Łosik, 13 others as extremistsThe material is available only to POZIRK+
- SocietyInvestigators uncover drug trafficking route via BelarusThe material is available only to POZIRK+
- SocietyExplosion wrecks at major gas pipeline near MinskThe material is available only to POZIRK+
- Society