The European Union (EU) does not want to block maritime traffic between Kaliningrad and Russia, but a possible circumvention of sanctions must be prevented. This was stated on June 23 by the head of EU diplomacy, Josep Borrell, during his speech in Brussels.
According to him, the situation with the Kaliningrad region is not a blockade. The EU must control the circumvention of anti-Russian sanctions.
“And this must be done at the same time, it is possible,” said the head of European diplomacy.
Lithuanian railways have stopped the transit of goods subject to EU sanctions since June 18, reminds Gazeta.Ru. We are talking about the restrictions introduced by Brussels in April as part of the fifth package of anti-Russian sanctions of the EU countries.
On June 20, Borrell said that there was supposedly no blockade of Kaliningrad, and Lithuania was complying with EU sanctions. He pointed out that the transportation of passengers and goods between Kaliningrad and other regions of Russia continues, and only the transportation of those goods, the export, import and transit of which through the EU is prohibited by sanctions, has been stopped.
Governor of the Kaliningrad region Anton Alikhanov called Lithuania’s ban on transit illegal. He referred to the joint statement on EU enlargement, which contains references to international agreements, documents to which both the European community and Russia have joined. He noted that as a response to the restriction of transit by Lithuania, the question of denunciation of agreements between Russia and the European Union may arise.
The list of goods prohibited for transit included, in particular, iron and steel products, jet fuel and fuel additives, goods for use in the aviation or space industry, and technological installations for liquefying natural gas. In addition, the list includes purebred horses, spirits, tobacco products, perfumes, porcelain dishes and jewelry.
The official representative of the Russian Foreign Ministry, Maria Zakharova, in turn, said that Russia’s response to Lithuania’s ban on transit would be practical.
