{"id":161911,"date":"2025-10-28T14:56:40","date_gmt":"2025-10-28T11:56:40","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/pozirk.online\/en\/news\/161911\/"},"modified":"2026-03-09T20:10:49","modified_gmt":"2026-03-09T20:10:49","slug":"border-official-accuses-lithuania-of-artificially-escalating-balloon-crisis","status":"publish","type":"articles","link":"https:\/\/pozirk.online\/en\/news\/161911\/","title":{"rendered":"Border official accuses Lithuania of \u201cartificially escalating\u201d balloon crisis"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

October 28, Pozirk<\/em>.<\/strong> Mika\u0142aj Barejka, a department head at the State Border Committee (SBC), has told a news conference in Minsk that border officers are taking all possible measures within their competence to seize weather balloons used in illegal activities.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Commenting on reports of an influx of balloons smuggling cigarettes into Lithuania from Belarus, Barejka said that Vilnius is \u201cartificially escalating\u201d the issue, “especially regarding Belarus’ unwillingness to cooperate constructively.”<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Barejka said that Lithuania had terminated some agreements in the area, including on the fundamental principles of cross-border cooperation and a protocol on information exchange between the border services.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cAs for our border service, we do perform our duties and tasks to assist the armed forces in protecting the state border in the airspace,\u201d the official said.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Lithuania closed both of its land checkpoints at the Belarusian border indefinitely on October 26 in response to the mass influx of balloons carrying contraband cigarettes from Belarus. Vilnius Airport suspended operations four times because of the airspace violations. Flights were delayed and canceled, impacting thousands of passengers.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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