The customs offices of five countries will sign an agreement in Vilnius on the equal implementation of sanctions against Russia

“Lithuanian Customs strives for uniform and strict measures for the implementation of sanctions to be applied in all European Union countries. Only with joint concerted actions will we ensure international sanctions against Russia and Belarus and contribute to peace in Ukraine,” said Darius Žvironas, Director General of the Customs Department, in a statement.

The head of the customs office told LRT radio on Thursday that the agreement planned to be signed in Vilnius is a “political step”. According to him, Polish and Finnish customs already apply most of the common requirements in the implementation of sanctions.

“This is already happening, and it can be seen by looking at the queues at the borders of Lithuania, Poland and Latvia with the neighboring countries – Belarus and Russia. They are practically the same today. This means that bypassing (sanctions – BNS) and driving through one or another country and hoping for easier control will no longer be possible today,” said D. Žvironas to LRT radio on Thursday.

According to him, it is intended to expand sanctions control measures in the future, and more countries should join the agreement in the near future. The head of the Lithuanian customs did not name them.

According to D. Žviron, EU countries implement sanctions against Russia and Belarus differently.

“Already last year, while strengthening our control measures, we saw that the conditions for circumvention also exist through other European Union countries, where the measures are not the same as ours,” said D. Žvironas.

In January of this year, Lithuania, Latvia and Estonia already agreed on the application of uniform control measures during the implementation of EU sanctions against Russia and Belarus.

In January, by agreement, the customs of Lithuania, Latvia and Estonia approved the declaration of the prime ministers of the Baltic countries, signed last year on December 20, and agreed to tighten the control of sanctioned goods exported to third countries through Russia and Belarus or transported in transit – for example, requiring the submission of a declaration by the manufacturer of the goods.

Western countries imposed economic, diplomatic and other sanctions against Russia and its supporter Belarus more than two years ago after Moscow launched a large-scale invasion of Ukraine.

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