Patience snapped: Freight carriers in Vilnius staged protest with balloons

Lithuanian freight carriers have run out of patience. On November 15, transport workers staged a protest in Vilnius against the authorities' closure of the common border with Belarus. Around 20 companies participated. Behind the wheel of their own trucks were the owners of companies now close to bankruptcy due to the Lithuanian government's tough stance.

The trucks were decorated with balloons. This is a reference to weather balloons: balloons are balloons, the carriers say, but people should be prioritized. According to the protesters, by closing the border, Lithuanian authorities supported smugglers. The losers are law-abiding citizens who paid their taxes and now have lost both their jobs and income.