Lithuanian lawmakers are pushing to introduce legislation that would ban companies with commercial ties to Russia or Belarus from operating at critical infrastructure sites, including airports, following concerns raised in a closed parliamentary session.
Laurynas Kasčiūnas, deputy chairman of the Seimas National Security and Defence Committee, said on Wednesday that the committee was moving forward with the proposal, though the precise legislative mechanism had yet to be determined.
"We need to strengthen the legal framework so that, five years into the war, trade relations with the Russian Federation and Belarus can be treated as a criterion for refusing permits or contracts at Lithuania's strategic sites," he said.
The committee's discussions were prompted in part by questions surrounding Travel Retail Vilnius, the company that operates duty-free shops at Vilnius and Kaunas airports. The firm is owned by Gebr. Heinemann, a major German travel retail group that previously operated in the Russian and Belarusian markets.
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Kasčiūnas said authorities were examining whether the parent companies of firms working at Lithuanian airports posed security risks through their connections to those countries.
"We are essentially legitimising companies that continue to maintain trade ties with Belarus and Russia. The question remains: can we not find other, fully transparent companies for our strategic sites that maintain no links to Russia," he asked.
Simonas Bartkus, director of Lithuanian Airports, said the government commission responsible for vetting strategic transactions had been consulted twice regarding Gebr. Heinemann's operations and had approved the arrangements on both occasions.
Gebr. Heinemann said it began withdrawing from the Russian retail market after Russia's full-scale invasion of Ukraine in 2022 and stressed that its retail operations are separate from its supply chain activities. The company said it complies fully with international sanctions and no longer conducts trade in Russia or Belarus, describing any remaining links as historical and indirect ties that have since been severed.
The committee said it would consult with the government and opposition before deciding who would bring forward specific legislative proposals.
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