Lithuania considers banning passenger flights to Belarus due to security threats
Lithuanian Interior Minister Vladislav Kondratovich said that the country should consider suspending regular passenger transport to Belarus. This was reported by The Public with reference to LRT.
The Lithuanian authorities call this step a potential element of security policy. As Kondratovich explained, the decision will depend on the effectiveness of such measures in putting pressure on the Belarusian regime — or, conversely, they may “intensify hostile sentiments” against the European Union.
A meeting of the interior ministers of Lithuania, Poland, and Latvia is currently planned to agree on a common course of action. At the same time, Latvia is already preparing a project to suspend bus routes to Belarus and Russia due to security concerns and risks to citizens.
Map: Institute for the Study of War
If the decision comes into force, regular transport between countries in the region will be suspended, which could affect dozens of routes and thousands of passengers. There are currently more than two dozen routes in operation, including between Lithuania and Belarus.
At the same time, the Lithuanian government is considering stricter security measures — closing the border, restricting transit, and tightening control over air and ground traffic — in response to incidents involving balloons and potential provocations from Minsk.
