Over 700 trucks, more than 680 cars waiting to cross Belarusian-EU border

MINSK. Aug 29 (Interfax) - Tensions persist on the Belarusian-EU border, as over 700 trucks are waiting to cross into EU countries, the Belarusian State Border Committee said on Tuesday.

"Trucks are standing in line on every route. Over 730 trucks are waiting to cross into the EU," the committee said.

"There have been delays in truck crossings into the EU at every border checkpoint. Latvian control services cleared 52% of the regular number of trucks over the past day, while Lithuania cleared 42%. Personnel of the Polish checkpoint Kukuryki (Kozlovichi) admitted 55% of trucks to their territory. The smallest number of trucks crossed into the EU through the Lithuanian Medininkai checkpoint (Kamenny Log). It was only 27%," the committee said.

There are problems with car departures, as well. More than 360 cars are waiting to cross the Belarusian-Lithuanian border, in addition to over 300 headed to Poland and more than 20 headed to Latvia.

"As of 10 a.m., the Polish checkpoint Terespol (Brest) saw the biggest car traffic congestion: more than 300 cars are waiting to cross into the EU from there. Checkpoint personnel have admitted about 32% of the regular number of cars. Cars are also standing in line at every Lithuanian checkpoint and the Latvian checkpoint Silene (Urbany)," the committee said.

On August 18, Lithuania closed the Sumskas (Losha) and Tverecius (Vidzy) checkpoints on the border with Belarus. The Lithuanian government explained its decision with reference to the geopolitical situation and the need to reduce risks. Now that Sumskas and Tverecius are closed, four checkpoints are currently operating on the border with Belarus, namely Medininkai (Kamenny Log), Lavoriskes (Kotlovka), Raigardas (Privalka) and Salcininkai (Benyakoni).

Poland banned border crossing by Belarusian and Russian trucks since April 2022, and the ban on semitrailers registered in Belarus and Russia was enforced in June 2023.