Restrictions on transit to Kaliningrad region could be lifted this week - governor

KALININGRAD. July 5 (Interfax) - Signals from the European Union indicate that restrictions on cargo transit to the Kaliningrad region could be lifted this week, the region's Governor Anton Alikhanov said on the Rossiya 24 television channel.

"We hope that Europeans will make a decision to lift restrictions soon. We've been receiving signals about it via various channels, [indicating] that they should make such decision this week," Alikhanov said.

Lithuania restricted transit of steel, ferrous metals and other sanctioned goods to Russia's Kaliningrad region on June 17, as EU sanctions took effect, and said it was due to guidelines set by the European Commission. Moscow argued that the transit restrictions breached international agreements and threatened with countermeasures