A Lithuanian national who crashed through a border barrier and crossed into Belarus while driving a car-sharing platform's vehicle is facing a €7,000 fine, Lithuania's Prosecutor General’s Office said on Thursday.
The 43-year-old man entered Belarus in early May, having driven through a restricted area in the Medininkai municipality near the Lithuanian-Belarusian border. According to prosecutors, he ignored a "No Entry" sign before irreparably damaging Lithuania’s physical border barrier in a vehicle registered to a car-sharing platform.
He entered Belarus illegally, without passing through any State Border Guard or customs control point. Once inside Belarus, he was intercepted by Belarusian border guards.
The man was returned to Lithuania several days later.
Prosecutors are seeking a €7,000 fine for the illegal crossing of the state border. They are also asking the court to uphold a civil claim filed by the State Border Guard Service for €1,227 in compensation for the destruction of border infrastructure.
Having assessed the evidence gathered during the investigation, the prosecutor concluded that all the conditions were met to refer the case to court for summary proceedings by means of a penal order, as the defendant admitted his guilt and pledged to compensate the State Border Guard Service for the material damage caused.
Lithuania has reinforced its border with Belarus in recent years amid heightened tensions and concerns over irregular migration and hybrid threats, erecting a physical barrier along the frontier.
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