The Lithuanian parliament Seimas on Tuesday voted to extend the state of emergency until mid-December and ban Russian citizens from entering the country as of September 19.
With 68 votes in favour, five against, and 26 abstentions, Lithuanian lawmakers voted to extend the state of emergency, but it will only be in place at Lithuania’s borders with Russia and Belarus until December 16.
Currently, the state of emergency is in place across the country until September 15. The new state of emergency regime on the borders with Russia and Belarus will be imposed at midnight on September 16.
As of September 19, when the ban on Russian citizens to enter Lithuania comes into force, the state of emergency will also be in place at border checkpoints outside the border area, such as Vilnius and Kaunas Airports and Vilnius Railway Station.
Last week, the Baltic states and Poland agreed to restrict the entry of Russian citizens into the Schengen area. In Lithuania, the agreement is implemented through the state of emergency decree.
Read more: Baltics, Poland to close borders for Russian citizens by September 19
Lithuania’s State Border Guard Service (VSAT) will be tasked with ensuring that only Russian citizens who meet the criteria set by the Lithuanian government are allowed to enter the country through the EU’s external border.
Only dissidents, freedom fighters, independent journalists, other visitors on humanitarian grounds and their family members, as well as family members of EU citizens, seafarers, people transiting Kaliningrad, and holders of long-term D-category visas will be allowed to enter Lithuania.
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