Lithuanian PM to convene security meeting amid Belarus balloon attack PHOTO

Lithuanian Prime Minister (PM) Inga Ruginiene has said that she would convene a National Security Commission meeting this week amid Belarus’s hybrid attack using contraband balloons.

Ruginiene noted the recent border reopening revealed that the balloons continue to pose a threat, and Belarus’s actions remain illegal, including the detention of Lithuanian trucks and restrictions on border movement, Caliber.Az reports, citing LRT, Lithuania’s public broadcaster.

The prime minister stressed that closing the border indefinitely cannot be ruled out if the attacks persist.

“This week, I will urgently call the Security Committee again, and we will consult. At the moment, our diplomats are working through various channels, and we are working with our allies. <...> Our institutions and services work every night, but I would like more action from the police,” the Prime Minister commented.

Earlier, Lithuanian Foreign Minister Kestutis Budris also stated he will brief his European Union counterparts on a new hybrid attack by Belarus, emphasising Lithuania’s demand for stronger EU protection.

The night of November 24 was recorded as the “most tense” of November in Lithuania: the mass balloon incursion again forced the temporary closure of Vilnius airport, and some weather balloons were detected in neighbouring Latvia.

In recent weeks, Lithuania has faced similar attacks, which previously led the government to close border checkpoints with Belarus.

On November 19, Lithuania decided to reopen the checkpoints earlier than planned.

However, the following day, November 20, balloons once again forced Vilnius airport to halt operations for over an hour, affecting ten flights and more than 1,100 passengers, including Foreign Minister Kestutis Budris and European Commissioner Andrius Kubilius.

By Jeyhun Aghazada