Lithuanian Foreign Minister Linas Linkevičius said he could only “feel sad for Belarus” if its government feels threatened by air balloons.
On Sunday, Minsk said it had to scramble Mi-24 military helicopters to prevent air balloons with “anti-state slogans” from crossing the Belarusian border from Lithuania.
The incident during the Freedom Way demonstration, when some 50,000 people linked hands from Vilnius to the Belarusian border to support protesters in the neighbouring country, led to both countries exchanging diplomatic notes.
Lithuania said a Belarusian military helicopter breached the country’s airspace, while Minsk protested the alleged balloon “provocation”.
Read more: Belarus says military helicopters 'stopped' Lithuanian balloons during Freedom Way
“It’s a comical situation [that] a cluster of balloons with a flag [could have] caused danger to that country – then perhaps the security situation [in Belarus] is really difficult and we can only feel sad for the country.”
“If such objects pose a threat, then frankly speaking, I really don’t know what to add,” Linkevičius told reporters on Wednesday.
The minister said the recent events and communication with Minsk were “surreal and strange”.
“Lately there have been surreal scenarios about an alleged threat,” said Linkevičius. “Now some units [in Belarus] have been put on combat readiness, because there’s an [alleged] military threat from abroad, from us [Lithuania].”
He reiterated that there were no unplanned military movements in Lithuania. “Honestly speaking, Lithuania doesn’t see any threat from the movements in Belarus,” added Linkevičius.
Read more: Lithuania avoided ‘military crisis’ with Belarus, says presidential adviser
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