Lithuania is pushing the European Union to impose new sanctions on Belarus, targeting nitrogen fertiliser imports, the aviation sector, and other economic activities, Foreign Minister Kęstutis Budrys said Wednesday.
Speaking at a meeting of opposition factions in the Lithuanian parliament, Budrys said the measures aim to respond to Belarusian smuggling balloons that have repeatedly crossed into Lithuanian airspace.
“First, there is the aviation sector. Current restrictions prevent Belarusian-registered aircraft from flying in EU airspace, but planes not registered in Belarus but owned by Belarusian individuals are still allowed. We want those restrictions expanded,” Budrys said.
He also called for tighter import restrictions on nitrogen fertilisers, rapeseed oil, salt, and other products. Additionally, he proposed banning investments in Belarusian free economic zones and restricting services provided by EU companies to Belarusian firms.
“European companies provide legal, audit, IT, artificial intelligence, and other services. We want all of these to be prohibited under EU sanctions, including tourism services, despite how it may sound in this geopolitical context,” the minister said.
Lithuania temporarily closed its border with Belarus for about three weeks due to the balloon threat but reopened it earlier than planned after conditions improved. Medininkai and Šalčininkai border checkpoints resumed operations last Thursday.
In response to the closure, Minsk prohibited Lithuanian trucks in Belarus from returning home until the border was reopened. Despite the resumption of operations at the two checkpoints, Belarusian authorities are still preventing the trucks from reentering Lithuania, requesting talks between the two countries’ foreign ministries.
Lithuanian officials have described the balloon incidents as a hybrid attack by Minsk. Budrys said it is important for such actions to be formally recognised in EU sanction frameworks.
“The most important thing is to introduce a new criterion in the EU sanctions regime – to define on what basis sanctions are imposed on Belarus. We are seeking to include hybrid activities and threats, which the EU currently does not have,” he said.
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