"I can say, however, that such an issue would have to be discussed at the government or parliament level. Transportation of exceptional cargoes requires exceptional permits," Butkevičius told reporters when asked if Lithuania would allow moving large-sized cargoes for neighboring countries' nuclear power facilities through its territory.
"This issue will be dealt with immediately. I will find this out in the shortest possible time," he said.
The Homeland Union-Lithuanian Christian Democrats party has warned the government that cargo shipments for Astravets facility via Lithuania would undermine national security.
Audronius Ažubalis, a member of the opposition party and a former foreign minister, has asked Butkevičius to explain the government's position on Hoptrans Projects' request for permission to transport large-sized equipment through Klaipėda.
He said that granting such permission to the logistics company would have harmful effects on national security. According to the press release, Hoptrans Projects submitted its request to the Economy Ministry in April.
Hoptrans Projects and Hoptrans Logistics are subsidiaries of the Lithuanian transport and logistics company Hoptransa. Hoptrans has offices in Kaliningrad and Moscow, as well as in Sharjah, in the United Arab Emirates.
