If Lithuania stops the transit of Belarusian fertilisers, it may face lawsuits from both Belarus and its buyers, the company's spokeswoman said.
According to Irina Savchenko, spokeswoman for Belaruskaya Kaliynaya Kompaniya (Belarusian Potash Company, BKK) which is a subsidiary of the state-owned fertiliser giant Belaruskali, Minsk will also retaliate by halting the transit of goods to Lithuania.
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“If Lithuania breaks its international agreements, we will use all legal remedies available and take legal action in courts,” Savchenko told LRT RADIO on Tuesday.
Belaruskali exports most of its production via Lithuanian railways and the port of Klaipėda, but Vilnius is making plans to halt the transit. The US introduced sanctions on the Belarusian company earlier this month.
“We believe that many of our customers, fertiliser buyers, will go to court, too, as they will be deprived of their goods and will suffer serious damage as a result of Lithuania's actions,” Savchenko said. “This may force them to buy fertilisers at significantly higher prices. Claims in this case could reach billions of euros.”
“But there is another point. If Lithuania fails to comply with its international obligations, Belarus will be forced to retaliate, as your country is a transit one, too. It be difficult for both countries, and the people of both countries will suffer the most,” she added.
According to the BKK spokeswoman, the US sanctions against Belaruskali give no legal basis for Lietuvos Geležinkeliai (Lithuanian Railways, LTG) to stop transporting Belarusian fertilisers via Lithuania.
The US sanctions against BKK were announced in early December and will come into force on April 1. However, Savchenko said she expects that the transit corridor for Belarusian fertilisers through the Lithuanian seaport of Klaipėda will remain in place after April 1.
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