“In fact we’ve got unofficial information that tightened checks will continue. As far as I know, the checks had to be stopped on the 16th [of September], but information I’ve got from the carriers shows that the checks will continue until next week,” Algimantas Kondrusevičius told BNS.
It is difficult to predict how long tightened checks will be applied since Russia does not provide any official information to the country’s haulers, he says. “I’ve not received any official documents.”
Mečislavas Atroškevičius, vice-president of Linava and CEO of transport company Mečys, tells BNS that the European Commission’s call on Russia to lift discriminatory measures is important, since it marks the first time that international organizations have supported Lithuania’s haulers.
“Support of international organizations, such as the European Commission, helps the haulers to feel more confident. We can at least expect the situation to be better in the future, now that we know that we are not alone,” he told BNS.
On Tuesday, the European Commission urged Russia to lift restrictions on Lithuanian goods without delay, saying that the actions hindered trade, did not seem grounded and were discriminatory.
Lithuania is holding presidency of the EU Council in the second half of this year, with a focus on the Eastern Partnership program, which aims to promote closer ties between the EU and six post-Soviet nations. With the Eastern Partnership summit, which will be hosted in Vilnius in late November, approaching, Moscow has taken measures against Eastern Partnership countries. In particular, it banned imports of Ukrainian confectionery giant Roshen’s products and restricted imports of wine from Moldova.
