MINSK, October 27. /TASS/. Minsk sees Lithuania’s move to draw up a plan to completely close the border with Belarus as unfriendly, the Belarusian State Customs Committee said in a statement.

"Today, the Lithuanian authorities made a decision not to open the border with Belarus to traffic. Besides, they have announced a plan for an indefinite closure of road checkpoints, which includes exceptions for European Union citizens and diplomats," the statement reads.

The committee pointed out that Lithuania was expected to make further decisions on October 29. "The State Customs Committee will monitor the unfriendly actions by the Lithuanians and keep the public informed," the statement added.

Earlier on Monday, Lithuanian Prime Minister Inga Ruginiene told reporters that the country’s authorities had made up a plan to completely close the border with Belarus, which they intended to approve on October 29. Ruginiene claimed that the reasons behind the move to shut down road checkpoints included recurring incidents involving weather balloons used for smuggling cigarettes and the Belarusian authorities’ unwillingness to take measures to end such activities.

There are six road checkpoints on the border between Belarus and Lithuania, but only two of them remained operational until recently, with others shut down earlier at Vilnius’ initiative. However, the two checkpoints are now also closed based on Lithuania’s decision.