Lithuanian road transport companies have appealed to the European Commission over trucks that remain stranded in Belarus, saying their losses have reached tens of millions of euros.
The Lithuanian National Road Carriers Association Linava says about 4,000 Lithuania-registered vehicles are still in Belarus, although confirmed data has been obtained for only around 1,000 of them. Based on information from about 150 companies, carriers estimate losses at nearly 22 million euros.
Lithuanian trucks and semi-trailers have been stuck in Belarus for four months. Although the border closure was temporary, the government of Belarusian President Alexander Lukashenko has not allowed the vehicles to leave, the association says.
“This 22-million-euro loss does not include parking fees, lost clients or suspended operations, as many companies that have been unable to use their vehicles for four months are already on the brink of bankruptcy,” Linava President Erlandas Mikėnas said.
Mikėnas added that not all companies had submitted data. If losses were calculated across the entire sector, they could exceed 100 million euros, he said.
Lithuania’s Ministry of Transport and Communications said it was difficult to assess the damage because carriers have so far provided inconsistent figures.
“We need to calculate and return to the real numbers – is it 4,000 or 1,000? The ministry has a figure of 915. We approached the European Commission with a figure of 1,000. If we agree on this number, then we can speak about the specific level of losses,” said Lukas Paškevičius, an adviser to the transport minister.
Carriers are urging the European Commission to take action to ensure that the unlawfully detained vehicles are returned and to assess how losses could be compensated. Lithuania’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Lithuania first turned to the commission in November over the situation.
Foreign Minister Kęstutis Budrys said he expects the European Commission to “proactively defend our interests”.
“That means ensuring that our property is not seized by a neighbouring state. This was also an argument in discussions on extending sanctions on Belarus. We cannot fail to punish a regime that behaves arbitrarily both toward its own people and our property,” he said.
According to Aleksandras Izgorodinas, an economist at Citadele Bank, Minsk may be using the detained trucks as leverage to push for softer sanctions.
“The fact that they continue to hold our trucks shows that the Belarusian side wants milder sanctions. Two areas are particularly painful: fertiliser transit and the ability to finance operations through access to SWIFT. Fertiliser exports are one of the main arteries of the Belarusian economy, generating significant revenue and jobs,” he said.
The European Union last week extended its sanctions on Belarus for another year.
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