“I would say everything has gone smoothly, – he told journalists on Thursday. – There are no launched pre-trial investigations, no protocols of administrative offences due to some violations.“
Around 1,600 football fans traveled by train to the Russian exclave of Kaliningrad via Lithuania on Thursday night without any incidents, Renatas Požėla, commander of border guards, told BNS Lithuania.
Kaliningrad is one of the Russian cities hosting World Cup matches and the final World Cup game there will take place there on Thursday night when Belgium will face England. Afterwards football fans will also have to return to mainland Russia.
All in all, Lithuanian border guards have stopped 33 persons with Fan IDs from crossing the Lithuanian territory in June as they had no valid Schengen visas or were travelling with improper documents.
According to Misiūnas, there have been no incidents in Lithuania, involving football fans, and no football fans have asked for asylum in Lithuania.
Football fans with Fan IDs can travel by train from mainland Russia to Kaliningrad and back free of charge during the World Cup. They cross the Lithuanian territory during this trip, and Lithuanian officers have stepped up border control.
Officials are concerned that fans from poorer countries might take advantage of free train rides through the Russian territory to eventually reach the European Union.