Golovchenko explained the conditions under which the ban on importing certain goods from Lithuania could be lifted.

Roman Golovchenko, March 15, Minsk . Belarusian Prime Minister Roman Golovchenko, speaking with journalists, outlined the conditions under which the ban on the import of certain goods from Lithuania could be lifted, a BELTA correspondent reports.

Lithuania recently closed two border crossings with Belarus. This means that only two of the six previously operating remain. "We believe this is largely due to Belarus's popularity among Lithuanian citizens, who happily took advantage of the visa-free regime, visited us, vacationed, purchased goods, and saw the reality of what was happening, which differs significantly from the narratives of the Lithuanian authorities. In addition to purely financial losses and transit, Lithuania also lost a large influx of Belarusian tourists who traveled there and left money in the Lithuanian economy," Roman Golovchenko noted.

Belarus has introduced retaliatory measures in response to Lithuania's unfriendly actions in closing the two border crossings. "But we're not burning bridges. This decision has a specific timeframe—until October. It can either be revoked upon expiration or extended. We'll see how this impacts the congestion at the checkpoints. I emphasize: we are always ready for dialogue. And we weren't the ones taking the initial steps that were aimed at worsening good-neighborly relations between the countries. The most important thing for us is to normalize traffic flows. If they are willing to address this issue constructively, we are ready. If Lithuania decides to reopen the checkpoints, we will revisit the advisability of maintaining these or any other restrictive measures. And if such a decision isn't made, we still have sufficient resources to respond to any unfriendly actions against our country, no matter who is taking them," the prime minister stated.

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As reported, the government has expanded the list of goods prohibited from import and sale in Belarus. The corresponding amendments were made to Council of Ministers Resolution No. 700 of December 6, 2021. Specifically, the list now includes certain goods originating in Lithuania: condensed milk and cream, fruits and nuts.Coffee , fruit juices, water, vinegar, tights, stockings, knee-highs, socks and other hosiery, certain construction products, refrigerators and freezers. The Belarusian

government has also imposed a ban on the import of certain goods across the Belarusian-Lithuanian border. The following goods are prohibited from import for sale and consumption in Belarus: water, beer , wine, grape must, vermouth, other fermented beverages, ethyl alcohol, vinegar, used tires and pneumatic rubber tires, clothing and other used goods, as well as used vehicle parts and accessories.

These measures are in response to Lithuania's decision to halt the movement of goods, vehicles, and people through two border crossing points.