VILNIUS - Lithuania will not rush to respond to Belarus' proposal to restore passenger rail service between the two countries, Prime Minister Gintautas Paluckas has said.
"We are evaluating [this proposal] in the context of all sanctions and the war in Ukraine, as well as the European Union's relationship with Russia, so we will not rush to respond to these proposals," Paluckas told reporters on Monday.
The 15min news portal reported last week that Lithuania had received a proposal from Minsk through the Warsaw-based Organization for Cooperation between Railways (OSJD) to resume passenger train service.
Transport minister’s spokesman Lukas Paskevicius told the portal that the proposal was being considered and awaiting evaluation by the interior and foreign ministries and the State Security Department (SSD).
"This is the working procedure. When a proposal is received, it is considered in consultation with the foreign ministry, which is responsible for sanctions, and ultimately the decision is made by the government. So now you have heard my opinion," Paluckas said on Monday.
Paskevicius told 15min that Latvia and Poland had also received the proposal, while Belarus justified it on the grounds of "passenger convenience and transport development".
Passenger train service between Lithuania and Belarus was suspended in 2020 due to the COVID-19 pandemic. It has not yet been resumed, despite repeated requests from Minsk.
Regular buses run between Lithuania and Belarus daily at present.
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