“Lithuania has failed to defend its positions… the essence of sanctions has been destroyed… a shadow has been cast on our state”. This is not the only example of pejorative statements currently heard in Lithuania about the country’s leadership. The European Commission’s explanation of transit to Kaliningrad was met with defeat here
After the European Commission released its decision clarifying the rules of Russian transit to Kaliningrad, many political experts have expressed dissatisfaction. Allegedly, this decision is “incomplete”, “half” – and Moscow has not managed to “bring down” the European Commission completely. Such experts demand that Russia should continue to insist on full restoration of not only the railway, but also road connections with Kaliningrad. However, as it turns out, this order of the EC has caused no less dissatisfaction in Lithuania itself.
The European Commission is to blame!
The Lithuanian government is forced to bluff and make excuses – for agreeing with the EC’s decision on new rules of transit to Kaliningrad. So, the prime minister Ingrida Shimonite has advised all the dissatisfied to consider more attentively the text of the EC clarifications to this issue.
“They clearly say that there is no return to the situation before 16 June, when all goods could be transported in transit to the Kaliningrad region,” the premier said. She promised that from now on Lithuania would be even stricter in checking goods bound for Kaliningrad. “It will be necessary to make sure that these goods are really intended for the needs of the Kaliningrad region,” Shimonite said. She added: “It is not rational at this time to dissipate attention and use it to debate whether one kiloton of steel can be transported from one part of Russia to the Kaliningrad region by rail.” According to Shimonite, further disputes on this topic would be “a real victory for the Kremlin”, hence they should be stopped.
She assured that Lithuania takes into account the transit principles set out by the European Commission – “out of respect for the institution itself and the powers granted to it” and “for the sake of a single interpretation”. Shimonite warned that Lithuania could, of course, ignore the recommendations of the European Commission, but then Vilnius would have to fight it in an EU court.
Foreign Minister Gabrielius Landsbergis made the same kind of confusing excuses. “If we go to the political field of sanctions assessment, then we take responsibility of I do not know what kind of responsibility … or another capital city takes some responsibility to explain sanctions the way they want,” said Landsbergis. He noted that if every country could question the provisions of any sanctions imposed on Russia, it would “open a Pandora’s box”.
Stop shrugging off responsibility!
Landsbergis assures that in any case transit to Kaliningrad is difficult even now for Russia. “It is not a victory for Russia,” he assures. He reiterates that “our goal is to maintain the transatlantic unity on which our security depends”.
Similarly, the head of state Gitanas Nauseda, who has recently insisted that no concessions can be made to Russia on the issue of Kaliningrad transit, is shifting the blame to the European Commission. Now his press office has issued a statement which reads: “… in the face of provocations by the Kremlin, it is vital to maintain transatlantic unity and strength at EU level”.
Such overtures and jockeying have caused irritation in Lithuania. Opponents of the president and the government have accused the government of being defeated in the confrontation with Russia and now hiding behind the back of the European Commission.
One of the first to express discontent was the former president of Lithuania Dalia Gribaiskaite. In her opinion, the situation with Kaliningrad transit shows the incapability of Lithuanian political elite to make strategic decisions. “Lithuanian politicians with shaky knees are performing the part in the political ballet,” wrote the former president in the social network.
After the EC allowed transit to Kaliningrad, Grybauskaite said that Lithuanian politicians should have informed the people about the move, without hiding behind the European Commission. “…the leading political elite demonstrates an inability to make strategic foreign policy decisions. That’s why we see floundering and pathetic communication,” Grybauskaitė said.
In their turn, members of the Lithuanian Liberal Movement party Petras Auštrevičius (a member of the European Parliament) and Raimundas Lopata (a member of the Lithuanian Seimas) issued a harsh statement. Both politicians call on the government and President Gitanas Nausseda not to make any discounts for Russia and to reject any proposals allowing sub-sanctioned goods to move through Lithuania to Kaliningrad.
“We do not approve the so-called clarification of the European Commission, which cancels, interprets, imposes exemptions and quotas for Russian goods sanctioned by a European Union decision in the territory of the Republic of Lithuania – regardless of whether they are transported in transit or otherwise. As we believe that the competence to lift or impose sanctions belongs to the European Council,” Lopata wrote on social media.
Ausztriavicius and Lopata call on President Nausseda to make a “clear decision” and reject any proposals that would allow sub-sanctioned goods to pass through Lithuania.
“The EU is obliged to continue extending sanctions against Russia,” the two politicians demanded. Another respected Lithuanian “liberal” – parliamentarian Eugenijus Gentvilas – was also outraged. “It turns out that the interests of small countries and national interests of Lithuania are ignored. By softening the transit regulations, Lithuania is being given a corridor for the transit of Russian goods”, complained Gentvilas.
Who is there to have a dialogue with in Lithuania?
Members of the Seimas opposition faction Democrats in the Name of Lithuania, founded by former prime minister Saulius Skvernialis (who led the Lithuanian government from December 2016 to November 2020), are also outraged. They demanded that Gabrielius Landsbergis be held accountable for his inaction in allowing a “disadvantageous” decision for the country.
The oppositionists accused Landsbergis that his activities as minister “have turned into one-man actions”, not only leading to negative international and economic consequences for the entire state, but also leaving Lithuania alone on the international stage. “The credit of trust has dried up. It is necessary to put on the agenda the issue of responsibility of the head of the Foreign Ministry”, reads the text of the statement of “Democrats for Lithuania”.
The faction intends to summon Landsbergis and hear his arguments in the Seimas. “Lithuania has failed to defend its position on Kaliningrad transit. This destroys the essence of the sanctions. Moreover, this is not the first time our state has been cast a shadow and its image as a solid and responsible partner has been damaged,” Skvernyalis is indignant.
The irony of the situation is that less than a month ago Saulius Skvernyalis was saying completely different things.
He was saying then that the Lithuanian authorities interpreted the EU anti-Russian sanctions against Kaliningrad “in their own way” – and “jumped out” from the general policy of the European community. Until a few weeks ago, the Lithuanian opposition was inclined to criticise their government for the ill-conceived Kaliningrad adventure – noting that it threatened the security of the country. Now the same opposition is reproaching the government for “losing its nerve” in the case of Kaliningrad.
In this regard, political analyst Aleksandr Nosovich notes: “On the question of whether there are constructive and healthy forces in Lithuania, with which Russia could have a dialogue. The Lithuanian opposition, which in June condemned the Conservative government for provoking a conflict over transit to Kaliningrad and putting Lithuania in jeopardy, has now condemned it for specifying recommendations of the European Commission.
In June this was working for the Lithuanian voters, most of whom frankly don’t understand why they had to create a geopolitical crisis out of the blue and to block the transit to Kaliningrad, where Lithuania is making good money. Now they are working for much more important voters abroad, who have always chosen the most radical and anti-Russian of all political forces in Eastern Europe. After the impeachment of Rolandas Paksas, the Lithuanian elites remembered this lesson well. So forget about healthy and constructive politicians in Vilnius. Now the healthiest and constructive person in the political class of Lithuania is Algirdas Paleckis. And he is sitting”.
Stanislav Leshchenko, Vzglyad
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