Minsk refuses to release trucks, demands FM meeting - haulers

VILNIUS - Belarus is not releasing Lithuanian trucks from special parking areas after Vilnius reopened its border crossings on the Belarusian border at midnight, and Minsk is demanding a meeting between representatives of the Lithuanian and Belarusian Foreign Ministries, says Erlandas Mikenas, president of Linava, the national road carriers' association.

"I have received information that the Belarusian side is demanding a meeting and consultations at the level of the Foreign Ministries. I have a copy of the letter requesting consultations at the level of the Foreign Ministries," Mikenas told the public radio LRT on Thursday afternoon.

"In my opinion, this is extortion," he said, adding that Minsk has not yet given instructions to release Lithuanian trucks, but carriers from Uzbekistan are "moving somehow."

Earlier on Thursday, Mikenas told BNS that, according to preliminary information, the trucks were supposed to depart at 8 a.m. Lithuanian time, but they did not. According to the information he has, several trucks entered Lithuania via Salcininkai, but most of them are still not being allowed into Lithuania.

Povilas Drizas, secretary general of the International Transport and Logistics Alliance, says that Minsk representatives are still deciding how to release Lithuanian transport from the parking lots and whether to allow them to drive through Belarusian territory.

On Wednesday, the Lithuanian government decided to reopen the border with Belarus 10 days earlier than planned. The Medininkai and Salcininkai border crossing points resumed operations at midnight on Thursday.

In response to Lithuania's closure of the border, Minsk banned Lithuanian trucks on its territory from returning to the country until the border is reopened, Until then, most of them were taken to special parking lots and taxed 120 per day for each truck or semi-trailer parked there. Minsk also threatened with confiscation if the fee is not paid.