22.08.2012
Lithuania to finish investigation into border incident by late September
VILNIUS, 22 August (BelTA) – The committee on national security and defense of the Lithuanian Seimas discussed the border incident involving Swedish aircraft together with representatives of the State Border Service, the State Security Department and other agencies and recognized it as a violation but took no action, BelTA has learnt.
According to the committee head Arvydas Anusauskas, the investigation of the incident by law enforcement agencies of Lithuania will be completed by the end of September. The law enforcement agencies of Lithuania will apparently have to seek assistance from Sweden. The head of the committee acknowledged that the Swedish aircraft flew to Belarus from Lithuania having no rights to cross the border. The Lithuanian authorities followed the laws of Lithuania, in which, according to him, there are some loopholes. Arvydas Anusauskas expressed the hope that now these agencies will look into these loopholes and correct them.
Arvydas Anusauskas said earlier that the violation of the Lithuanian-Belarusian border by Swedish pilots on 4 July occurred due to a mistake by the Estonian shift who were on duty at the Baltic Airspace Surveillance and Control Center in Karmelava and whom Lithuania cannot bring to responsibility. The Armed Forces of Lithuania responded with a statement saying that the military staff of the center is not divided on an ethnical basis. The Baltic Airspace Surveillance and Control Center is part of the NATO’s air defense system.
According to the committee head Arvydas Anusauskas, the investigation of the incident by law enforcement agencies of Lithuania will be completed by the end of September. The law enforcement agencies of Lithuania will apparently have to seek assistance from Sweden. The head of the committee acknowledged that the Swedish aircraft flew to Belarus from Lithuania having no rights to cross the border. The Lithuanian authorities followed the laws of Lithuania, in which, according to him, there are some loopholes. Arvydas Anusauskas expressed the hope that now these agencies will look into these loopholes and correct them.
Arvydas Anusauskas said earlier that the violation of the Lithuanian-Belarusian border by Swedish pilots on 4 July occurred due to a mistake by the Estonian shift who were on duty at the Baltic Airspace Surveillance and Control Center in Karmelava and whom Lithuania cannot bring to responsibility. The Armed Forces of Lithuania responded with a statement saying that the military staff of the center is not divided on an ethnical basis. The Baltic Airspace Surveillance and Control Center is part of the NATO’s air defense system.