"I demand that the Belarusian regime immediately releases the detained person and allows him to proceed on his journey to Vilnius. I call on NATO and EU allies for an immediate response to the threat posed to international civil aviation by the Belarusian regime. The international community must take immediate action to prevent similar incidents from happening again. I will speak about it tomorrow at the European Council in Brussels", - added Gitanas Nausėda.
Statement by the Government of Lithuania on a civilian plane and its passengers detained by military force in Minsk:
"It is an unprecedented attack against the international community: a civilian plane and its passengers have been hijacked by military force, and a Belarusian citizen has been abducted, whose life and health are in danger.
It is unjustifiable that ordinary international travellers have been held hostage to the regime’s aggression.
This is the act of state terrorism directed against the security of citizens of the European Union and other countries, civil society of Belarus seeking asylum from the regime’s persecution, as well as international civil aviation.
Lithuania will demand a clear and uncompromising response from the international community.
The airspace of Belarus is unsafe for everyone. The EU must take effective measures to protect all individuals, regardless of their nationality, who are at risk from inadequate actions of the regime.
Together with international partners, we will work to close the airspace of Belarus to international flights.
What happened today is an attack not only on Lithuania; it is a signal for the entire European Union and international organisations."
