Lithuanian Prime Minister Gintautas Paluckas says he has no information that Lithuanian goods could be used by the Russian military industry. His government mulls relaxing the existing ban on the export of dual-use goods to non-EU countries by aircraft, the previous government’s measure aimed at preventing them from reaching Russia.
“To be honest, I have no factual information that non-sanctioned dual-use goods are somehow used by the [Russian military] industry,” Paluckas told reporters on Thursday after ministers met with business representatives.
He reiterated his opinion that the ban, adopted by the previous government and introduced in January, was irrational. It affects exports of dual-use goods by plane to all but 10 non-EU countries.
Vidmantas Janulevičius, president of the Lithuanian Confederation of Industrialists, said in early January that the vast majority of Lithuania’s exports to third countries were re-exports, not exports of Lithuanian-made goods.
Last week, after a meeting with business representatives, Economy Minister Lukas Savickas said the government would review the export restriction.
President Gitanas Nausėda has recently called for an urgent review of the former government’s decision.
Former Economy Minister Aušrinė Armonaitė has said that the new restrictions were introduced because data from the country’s services suggested some of the goods and technologies shipped through Lithuania to third countries end up being used in Russia’s war against Ukraine.
Newsletter
Every Friday morning.
