For transit grain from Russia cannot impose duties. This was stated by the Minister of Agriculture of Lithuania Kastutis Mazheika.
The Minister commented on the plans of the Latvian government to introduce high duties on grain cargoes from Russia and Belarus.
"We need to distinguish between the moment when what Latvia offers — a 300 percent customs duty — probably refers to grain that will come to Latvia for processing, and other things that, simply put, will settle in Latvia," he said.
According to him, Lithuania has no problems with this issue, because the country has banned any grain imports.
"We are talking about transit grain, so the same 300 percent duty cannot be applied to transit grain, as they [Latvians] are trying to claim. I think this is probably a PR campaign or a manifestation of ignorance," the minister stressed.
In turn, the head of the Lithuanian government, Mindaugas Sinkevicius, believes that the transit of Russian grain is a "common problem" of the Baltic countries.
"I would say that the topic concerns not only Lithuania as a state, in this case we are talking about three states — Latvia, Estonia and Lithuania. Yesterday, right after work, I spoke with the Prime Minister of Latvia, he also raised this topic, and we discussed by phone what kind of response there might be to the desire of the Russian side to transport Russian grain and, possibly, grain mixed with stolen Ukrainian grain," he said.
The prime Minister noted that such cargo will not pass freely through the port of Klaipeda.
"The problem of transportation here is so acute that, apparently, it is not by chance that it is directed at the ports of the Baltic Sea, at us, and we, of course, will check, inspect and will not allow this cargo to pass unhindered," Sinkevicius emphasized.
Earlier, Riga announced plans to introduce 300 percent duties on grain from Russia and Belarus. In Latvia, they believe that in this way they will increase pressure on Moscow and will help Kiev.