The Minister of Economy and Innovation of Lithuania Rimantas Sinkevicius appreciated the statement of the President of Belarus Alexander Lukashenko about his intention to refuse transit through Lithuanian ports.
“Belarusian cargo in Klaipeda port is about 30 percent. Therefore, when deciding on the refusal to transport cargo, Belarus must calculate the economic losses and assess the commercial benefits that the port of Klaipeda provides, ”Sinkevičius said.
He also noted that the European Union may take retaliatory measures if Minsk refuses to transport goods through the Klaipeda port.
In addition, the Lithuanian prime minister stressed that if Minsk officially refuses to transport goods through the Klaipeda port, the EU countries may respond to this step with retaliatory sanctions. Nevertheless, Sinkevicius is convinced that these restrictions should be applied to individuals, and not to affect the entire Belarusian economy.