Around 100 Lithuanian lorries remain stranded in Belarus

Around 100 Lithuanian lorries remain in Belarus months after a border dispute between the two countries left thousands of vehicles stranded, according to Erlandas Mikenas, president of Lithuania’s Freight Carriers’ Association Linava.

“Around 100 lorries belonging to members of our association are still in Belarus,” Mikenas told journalists, Russian media reports.

He said some owners may have effectively written off the vehicles because the cost of keeping them in Belarusian parking facilities has exceeded their value.

“The situation is such that the cost of the enforced long-term parking at sites in Belarus is higher than the value of the lorry itself. Economic considerations dictate the solution,” Mikenas said.

The border dispute began in October 2025, when Lithuania closed its road crossings with Belarus amid concerns over cigarette smuggling using balloons from Belarus.

In response, Belarus restricted Lithuanian lorries from using its roads and required them to remain in secure parking facilities at a cost of €120 per day, with vehicles facing possible confiscation if fees were not paid.

About 4,000 Lithuanian vehicles, including 1,250 lorries, were stranded in Belarus as a result.

The dispute was eased in March 2026 following an agreement between the two countries, after which stranded vehicles began returning to Lithuania.

However, around 100 Lithuanian trucks remain in Belarus, according to Linava.

By Sabina Mammadli