Lithuanian customs tightens control of transit routes to prevent circumvention of sanctions

KALININGRAD. May 2 (Interfax) - Lithuanian customs, implementing EU sanctions against Russia and Belarus, will be paying more attention to the export and transit control of goods transported to third countries along seemingly illogical routes, the agency's press service said.

According to Lithuanian customs, attempts are increasingly being made to transport goods via strange routes. For example, goods from Czech Republic or Slovakia go to Turkey through Lithuania, Belarus and Russia, and goods from Germany are transported to the UK through the Medininkai automobile checkpoint located on the border of Lithuania and Belarus.

"Lithuanian customs have reasonable suspicions that the final destination of these goods is Russia, and the choice of these routes is an attempt to circumvent the sanctions," the message says.

European Commission recommendations state that "national competent authorities should not allow the release of goods if they have reasonable grounds to suspect that this is aimed at circumventing restrictions."

"Lithuanian customs, having assessed and established that the route for the transportation of goods through the territories of Belarus or Russia is illogical and economically inexpedient, will not allow the export of goods through it and will recommend the choice of another route for the transportation of goods from the territory of the European Union," the report says.