29 december 2023 — 14:00
The damage caused by restrictions on land transit to the Kaliningrad Region through Lithuania amounts to almost 2 billion rubles per year. This was announced by the governor of the region Anton Alikhanov, RIA Novosti writes
In the Kaliningrad region, which has no borders with other subjects of the Russian Federation, after the decision to restrict the transportation of goods through Lithuania by rail and motor transport, problems with overland transit arose. It was decided to deliver cargo to the region from other regions of Russia via an alternative route through the Baltic Sea by ships and ferries. Earlier, Alikhanov stated that the authorities of the Kaliningrad region, together with the Ministry of Economic Development, are calculating the damage from restrictions imposed by Lithuania to file claims under the WTO.
"You can count all this in different ways. One of the components of this possible damage that can be claimed is the amount of subsidies that the federal budget pays to make tariffs on the sea line more affordable for us. This year it is almost 2 billion rubles. This is one of the components," Alikhanov said, answering a question about the amount of damage caused by the restrictions.
The governor added that it is also possible to take additional calculations, which include a significant restriction for Kaliningrad freight companies that are engaged in road transport and that serviced transit.
"The amount of work has also been significantly reduced for them, and their losses could also be included in these lawsuits," he added.
According to him, the authorities of the Kaliningrad region have sent calculations to the Ministry of Economic Development, but the claim to the WTO now has "potentially little chance."