<p>Lithuania on Monday said it would not authorise any departing or arriving flights that cross Belarusian airspace, a day after Belarus forced a Vilnius-bound plane to land and arrested a journalist on board.</p>.<p>"Any flights to or from Lithuanian airports via Belarusian airspace are prohibited" from Tuesday, Transport Minister Marius Skuodis told a government meeting in the capital Vilnius.</p>.<p>Lithuania's government said it was proposing to the EU that Belarusian airspace should be closed for all international flights by EU-based airlines.</p>.<p><strong>Read more: <a href="https://www.deccanherald.com/international/who-is-the-journalist-belarus-arrested-by-forcing-a-ryanair-plane-to-land-989339.html" target="_blank">Who is the journalist Belarus arrested by forcing a Ryanair plane to land? </a></strong></p>.<p>It also said it wanted a ban on Belarusian airlines flying to EU member states and sanctions against the national flag carrier Belavia, as well as "all people and organisations responsible" for Sunday's incident.</p>.<p>"Lithuania has the opportunity to take certain actions on its own, but the main response we hope for must be international," Foreign Minister Gabrielius Landsbergis told a press conference after the meeting.</p>.<p>Regional carrier airBaltic, which is based in Latvia, earlier on Monday said it would avoid Belarusian airspace until further notice.</p>.<p>Lithuania and Latvia both share a border with Belarus.</p>.<p>In Poland, which also borders Belarus, Prime Minister Mateusz Morawiecki said he too would urge the EU to ban all flights to and from Belarus.</p>.<p>He termed Sunday's incident "unprecedented state terrorism on the part of the Republic of Belarus".</p>
<p>Lithuania on Monday said it would not authorise any departing or arriving flights that cross Belarusian airspace, a day after Belarus forced a Vilnius-bound plane to land and arrested a journalist on board.</p>.<p>"Any flights to or from Lithuanian airports via Belarusian airspace are prohibited" from Tuesday, Transport Minister Marius Skuodis told a government meeting in the capital Vilnius.</p>.<p>Lithuania's government said it was proposing to the EU that Belarusian airspace should be closed for all international flights by EU-based airlines.</p>.<p><strong>Read more: <a href="https://www.deccanherald.com/international/who-is-the-journalist-belarus-arrested-by-forcing-a-ryanair-plane-to-land-989339.html" target="_blank">Who is the journalist Belarus arrested by forcing a Ryanair plane to land? </a></strong></p>.<p>It also said it wanted a ban on Belarusian airlines flying to EU member states and sanctions against the national flag carrier Belavia, as well as "all people and organisations responsible" for Sunday's incident.</p>.<p>"Lithuania has the opportunity to take certain actions on its own, but the main response we hope for must be international," Foreign Minister Gabrielius Landsbergis told a press conference after the meeting.</p>.<p>Regional carrier airBaltic, which is based in Latvia, earlier on Monday said it would avoid Belarusian airspace until further notice.</p>.<p>Lithuania and Latvia both share a border with Belarus.</p>.<p>In Poland, which also borders Belarus, Prime Minister Mateusz Morawiecki said he too would urge the EU to ban all flights to and from Belarus.</p>.<p>He termed Sunday's incident "unprecedented state terrorism on the part of the Republic of Belarus".</p>