Minister Budrys in Medininkai: Our responsibility is to cherish and defend independence daily
On 31 July, commemorating the 34th anniversary of the Medininkai massacre, the Minister of Foreign Affairs of Lithuania, Kęstutis Budrys, paid tribute at the Medininkai Memorial to the seven Lithuanian customs and police officers killed by the Soviet special police forces (OMON) at the border post with Belarus in 1991.
"The officers who sacrificed their lives defended Lithuania and its right to be an independent state. It is our responsibility to cherish and defend our independence daily through our acts, decisions, and values. It is our duty not to hesitate for a moment to continue building a strong, resilient, and free Lithuania," Minister Budrys said in memory of the massacred officers.
Seven customs, police, and border officials were shot dead during an attack by the Soviet OMON, and the only surviving witness to the massacre was seriously injured. This incident was among the deadliest ones on Lithuania's path to independence. With such attacks on Lithuanian border posts, the falling USSR attempted to unsuccessfully destabilise Lithuania.
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