Lithuania relaxes rules for transporting food

Lithuania has eased restrictions on the import of products from Belarus; customs officers will no longer confiscate "stuff" from travelers.

The new rules came into force on June 3, and for many Belarusians they were an unpleasant surprise. The import of many food products and even non-alcoholic beverages from Belarus to Lithuania was prohibited. Many did not read the new rules carefully and were unsure how they would be applied. For several days, Belarusians posted pictures on social networks of garbage bins at the border overflowing with discarded food that people had brought as gifts or for personal use.

But now the rules have been clarified: the ban does not apply to products transported through Lithuania in transit, as well as products intended for personal use during the trip (food in open packaging will not be seized).

Democratic leader Sviatlana Tsikhanouskaya said that representatives of her office contacted the Lithuanian authorities and explained the situation immediately, on June 3. Tsikhanouskaya expects that restrictions on medicines, which many Belarusians need when traveling, will also be eased.