A Lithuanian company led by Kristina Laima Aleknienė, chair of the Ukraine-Lithuania Chamber of Commerce in Vilnius, is set to export millions of euros’ worth of medical goods and equipment to Belarus this year.
The goods are not subject to sanctions, and the export license was granted by Lithuania’s Ministry of Economy and Innovation on December 11, 2023.
Aleknienė declined to comment to LRT RADIO, stating she needed to consult with the shareholders of Euromed Distribution, the company in question.
“I cannot comment at the moment. I need to check. There are shareholders in the company – I have to coordinate with them first. [...] Our company does not export any such goods. [...] I will clarify and get back to you,” she said.
The shareholders of Euromed Distribution are reportedly based in the United Kingdom.
Karolis Žemaitis, the former vice minister who signed the export permit in December, said each request is reviewed individually by a special commission.
“Each case was assessed separately by the commission, considering a number of factors. First and foremost, we take into account European regulations [...], as well as specific circumstances such as supplying children’s hospitals and humanitarian considerations,” Žemaitis told LRT RADIO.
“We are not interested in economic ties with aggressor states. However, there are certain goods that need to be evaluated within a broader context,” he added.
Some commentators have raised ethical concerns about the exports.
“What bothers me is that this is the Ukraine-Lithuania Chamber of Commerce. The word ‘Ukraine’ implies a certain responsibility,” said Aleksas Matvejevas, founder of the Ukraine House in Vilnius. “We view this entirely negatively, as it has been repeatedly shown that with the help of the Belarusian government, support is provided to Russian troops from Belarusian territory.”
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