Lithuania has the right not to apply exemptions provided for in the ninth package of EU sanctions against Russia, Foreign Minister Gabrielius Landsbergis has said.
“A compromise has been reached and it allows Lithuania not to apply those exemptions, as simple as that. All other countries have the same right,” the leader of the ruling conservative Homeland Union-Lithuanian Christian Democrats (TS-LKD) told the party’s council on Saturday.
“Lithuania will use this possibility provided by the European Commission and will not grant any exemptions to hundreds of oligarchs or at least those who are definitely in Lithuania or have assets or businesses in Lithuania,” he added.
The European Union adopted its ninth package of sanctions against the Kremlin last week. Lithuania and some other member states objected to moves to secure carve-outs to exempt a handful of Russian oligarchs involved with agriculture, food and fertilisers, although that dispute was defused in the end.
Under the deal, individual EU member states will be free to unfreeze the money of Russian nationals that are under existing EU sanctions if it is strictly needed to bankroll shipments of food and fertilisers, especially to Africa.
But transactions can also be rejected for national security reasons.
EU member states will need to consult the European Commission before they can go ahead, and special guidance will be provided outlining what individuals and organisations would qualify as significant, which is seen as an additional safeguard.
Vilnius has also negotiated a right not to apply these exemptions, even if asked to unfreeze money.
Landsbergis hailed this provision as Lithuania’s achievement.
“Lithuania’s national interest has been safeguarded, that’s why we have agreed with that,” he said.
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