The Lithuanian government today, December 9th, announced a state of emergency across the country due to threats associated with smuggled weather balloons from Belarus. Interior Minister Vladislav Kondratiev has been appointed to lead state operations during the state of emergency.
This measure, according to government representatives, will not create inconveniences for the population, as the actions will be targeted and proportionate, aimed solely at the organizers and perpetrators of illegal activities. The goal of the state of emergency is to ensure better coordination among various departments and the ability to involve the military to support law enforcement.
Reasons for declaring a state of emergency
The Lithuanian government is taking drastic measures in response to problems caused by illegal launches of weather balloons from neighboring Belarus, which are used to transport smuggled goods, including cigarettes. Lithuanian law enforcement recently detained several such weather balloons, confirming the seriousness of the situation.
The situation worsened after the Vilnius airport was temporarily closed on December 6 due to the activity of weather balloons, leading to the cancellation and rerouting of flights, affecting about a thousand passengers.
Next steps for the government
The Lithuanian government intends to strengthen physical security measures and may close the border with Belarus again if the situation with the smuggling of weather balloons does not improve. Lithuania's Prime Minister, Ingrida Šimonytė, has already expressed intentions to cooperate with the U.S. to coordinate actions at the border.
Lithuania had previously closed land borders with Belarus due to smuggling, which has already resulted in the delay of over a thousand trucks on the Belarusian side.
