State of Emergency Declared in Lithuania Due to Smuggled Balloons from Belarus
Lithuania has recently declared a state of emergency in response to the threat posed by smuggled balloons coming from Belarus. The Lithuanian government has accused Belarus of enabling smugglers to use weather balloons to transport illegal cigarettes across the border, leading to disruptions at Vilnius airport and affecting air traffic. Interior Minister Vladislav Kondratovic emphasized that the state of emergency was declared not only to address civil aviation disruptions but also to safeguard national security. This declaration provides the military with increased operational flexibility to collaborate with the police or act independently, although specific measures were not detailed.