"The situation is a complex one and can be described in more dramatic terms. I think that developments at the border, particularly with Belarus, does not do honor to us all, and the conditions there aren't suitable for the dignity of carriers. Of course, the situation cannot be settled within a day or two, it will take strategic solutions," the minister, Lithuania's former ambassador to Belarus, told journalists after the government's meeting.
In his words, the solutions that are needed include post infrastructure and implementation of electronic border project, which enables carriers to book border-crossing time slots in advance.
"The solutions must be saught mutually, as they will not be efficient, if we solve them on our side and it is not settled on the other," Linkevičius stressed.
He confirmed that the possibility of establishing two new border posts expected to cut lines at the Medininkai checkpoint was also addressed.
According to the minister, the government decided on Monday that the current situation should be addressed by responsible institutions without delay in parallel to strategic decisions.
"Instructions have been given that responsible institutions started working on the situation, and we hope this will be done," said Linkevičius.
Asked whether carriers will have to wait for days at the border before next Christmas and New Year, the minister expressed hope for faster improvement in the situation.
"I think it should happen faster, not in a year, but we'll see how this works out," he said.
At its meeting on Monday, the government discussed the long queues of trucks stretching on both sides of the Lithuanian-Belarusian border over the past weeks.
Belarus has handed a note to Lithuania, requesting adherence to the existing agreements between the countries to handle 600 trucks per 24 hours.
On 5 December, 29 customs officers of Medininkai checkpoint were detained after a four-month investigation on the suspicion of abuse of office and bribery. The detention left the checkpoint understaffed, resulting in long queues.
Gytis Vincevičius, spokesman for the Lithuanian National Road Carriers’ Association Linava, said the holiday season was also a reason behind the queues, an opinion seconded by the Customs Department.
Medininkai is the main checkpoint on the Lithuanian-Belarusian border.
