100 people in pedestrian queue at Lithuanian border (photo)

29/11/2013 - 11:36

Head of the press-office of the state Customs Committee Alyaksandr Tsishchanka does not remember any pedestrian queues ever at the Belarusian border. "Probably the automobile queues turned into pedestrian ones," he comments.

Press-attache of the Lyapis Trubetskoy band Zmitser Bezkaravainy, who also arrived to Kamenny Log border crossing point on November 29, confirms this guess:

"I saw girls at the border, and asked them about it. They said they stood in an automobile queue for 6 hours, then parked their car and walked. They queued only an hour as pedestrians."

Zmitser avoided both automobile and pedestrian queues as he arrived to Lithuania by bus. This is what he advises the Lyapis fans to do if they don't want to waste several hours in a queue at the entrance to Lithuania:

"The best way is to go by bus, even if it's a touristic bus. We crossed the Belarusian border in half an hour, including exit-entrance. The contacts of transporting companies are available on Lyapis Trubetskoy website."

Most pedestrians at the Belarusian-Lithuanian border are going to the Lyapis Trubetskoy concert in Vilnius. Some hope for taxi that will deliver them to Vilnius from the other side of the border. Others left their cars and count on hitch-hiking, having stood in a queue for several hours.

The band Drum Ecstasy is supposed to play at Lyapis Trubetskoy concert at Siemens Arena as a support act. The musicians have been standing in a queue for 8 hours already - since 3 a.m.

"We would be happy to cross the border by feet," says Drum Ecstasy leader Phil Chmyr. "But we cannot take 110 kilos of metal on our shoulders. We do regret we hadn't started our journey the day before yesterday. However, we hope we will come to the concert in time."

According to the musician, the automobile queue slowed down when the pedestrians appeared. The customs officers are unprepared to such a stream of people on Friday:

"A great pedestrian movement on Saturday is predictable. But on Friday... who could think of this? It's a working day after all!" says Head of the press-office of the state Customs Committee Alyaksandr Tsishchanka. He adds that the Lithuanian customs officers reinforced the security measures due to the Eastern Partnership summit in Vilnius, so they work slower than usual. And the concert...

On November 30, Lyapis Trubetskoy present their new, fully Belarusian program 'Hraj' at the Siemens Arena in Vilnius. The arena admits 13 thousand viewers. Many Belarusians are expected to attend the concert: 'Minsktrans" state transport company provided 10 extra buses, while the railways organized additional carriages to the trains to Vilnius. Still, if you fail to reach Vilnius, you can watch the online broadcasting of the concert on Euroradio's website.