Lithuania has installed a border checkpoint in Nida where incoming ships can undergo customs and border procedures. But navigation is impeded by the fact that there's no such checkpoint in Kaliningrad's Rybachiy settlement.
Following the meeting, Vinkus said he hoped the border checkpoint will be opened next spring.
"They came by boat today at 1 PM (…) We discussed opportunities for the development of navigation, and what we still need to do. I also introduced the governor to our Vice-Minister of Foreign Affairs Evaldas Ignatavičius and in the atmosphere of mutual understanding we'll continue making steps for the checkpoint to be opened next spring," the mayor told BNS.
According to Vinkus, such a step would have positive influence on tourism infrastructure and "mutual neighborly relations."
Lithuania's Ministry of Foreign Affairs says the governor's visit would step up the installation of the Rybachiy border checkpoint.
"We hope the governor's visit will step up the installation of the Rybachiy border checkpoint and border checkpoints in the Curonian Spit will soon become fully operational," Daiva Rimašauskaitė of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs told BNS.
In her words, Lithuania is ready to launch operations of maritime border checkpoints but ships will be able to cross the state maritime border only after the Rybachiy border checkpoint is installed.
