Lithuania bans entry of all cars registered in Belarus
Lithuania-Belarus border (Getty Images)
Starting Friday, August 16, Lithuania will expand its ban on the entry of passenger vehicles with Belarusian license plates. The ban will now apply to all cars registered in Belarus, according to the State Border Committee of Belarus.
The ban applies to passenger cars regardless of the citizenship of the vehicle's owner or driver.
Lithuania initially decided to impose these new restrictions on July 18. Previously, the restrictions did not apply to vehicles not intended for sale. Entry was also permitted for cars registered in Belarus if the owner or driver held a valid visa or a temporary/permanent residence permit in Lithuania or other EU countries.
Lithuanian sanctions against Belarus
Lithuania began imposing restrictions against Minsk following the events of 2020 when it refused to recognize the results of the Belarusian presidential "election." These measures were also connected to the violent actions of Belarusian security forces during protests and the repressive policies of the Minsk regime.
With the onset of Russia's full-scale invasion of Ukraine, which also occurred through Belarusian territory, Lithuania began implementing stricter sanctions against the Belarusian regime. From the first days of Russia’s invasion, Lithuania has supported Ukraine and has enforced all necessary international sanctions against both Moscow and Minsk.
However, Lithuania recently reported an increase in attempts to bypass sanctions against Belarus and Russia. It is also known that Lithuania has almost completely stopped importing grain from Russia and Belarus.
Earlier, we reported that the Belarusian government decided to move military equipment to the border with Lithuania. This is linked to the ongoing attempts by Belarusian dictator Alexander Lukashenko to accuse Lithuania and other neighboring European countries of allegedly preparing an "invasion" of Belarusian territory.
