A tax-free shop serving foreign NATO troops at Lithuania's Rukla military base is being supplied by German company Gebr. Heinemann, which has faced criticism over its trade of luxury goods in Russia and Belarus.
Lithuania’s Defence Ministry said it intended to investigate the circumstances of the cooperation between Heinemann and the shop's operator, German firm Gratus. A similar retail outlet is planned for the Rūdninkai military campus, which will host the German brigade.
“I would rather not comment at this stage because we first need to gather all the information. Once I'm back at work, we'll look into it,” Defence Minister Robertas Kaunas told BNS.
“If an investigation has already been carried out and the institutions responsible for national security found no violations regarding Heinemann's operations at the airports, then, as I understand it, the company can continue operating in Lithuania,” he added.
The ministry said such retail points are regulated by international treaties and are standard at NATO military bases abroad.
The Rukla shop is restricted to personnel from the Bundeswehr and other NATO nations, offering cigarettes, beverages, gifts, military souvenirs and other items.
According to the ministry, the Bundeswehr manages the shop through Gratus Lithuania, which was established in 2017 when the German-led international NATO battalion was deployed to Rukla.
Gratus Lithuania is a subsidiary of German company Gratus that cooperates with Heinemann, which operates duty-free shops at Lithuanian airports.
Heinemann confirmed it supplies goods to troops in Rukla and provides retail consultancy services.
Earlier this year, LRT reported that Gebr. Heinemann supplied luxury goods to shops linked to the regime of Belarusian President Alexander Lukashenko, following previous reports of supplies to Russia.
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The company said it complies with sanctions against Russia and Belarus, adding that its duty-free operations are separate from its supply activities.
Lithuanian authorities have previously assessed Heinemann's activities on several occasions and found no security risks.
Lithuanian Airports and the Seimas Committee on National Security and Defence (NSGK) also found no grounds to suspend the company's operations.
However, the Defence Ministry said it would now examine the cooperation between Heinemann and the Rukla shop operator and assess whether a new national security compliance review is needed.
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