Фото: Lutz Wernitz, unsplash.com
Latvia’s Foreign Ministry has prepared and submitted to Prime Minister Andris Kulbergs a draft resolution banning the transit through the country of grain originating in Belarus and Russia. The ban is proposed as part of national sanctions, the ministry announced on November 13.
Latvian Foreign Minister Baiba Braže said the draft had been prepared and submitted to the Cabinet of Ministers. “The risks have been identified and are manageable. Now the government needs to make a decision,” she wrote on X.
On October 13, the Foreign Ministry presented the government with three options for banning grain transit. One of them envisaged imposing sanctions at the European Union level. Latvia discussed the initiative with EU institutions and member states, but according to the ministry, there is not yet sufficient support for a Europe-wide ban. The ministry will continue to seek coordinated measures at the EU level.
The ministry notes that introducing the ban could lead to legal disputes over contracts already signed and affect the transport and logistics sectors, as well as budget revenues. The draft must comply with EU law.
On September 24, Latvia’s Saeima called on the government to develop a legal framework for banning imports of grain from Belarus and Russia, including transit shipments. Latvia already has a ban on imports of agricultural and animal feed products from both countries.
Meanwhile, neighboring Lithuania plans to detain shipments of wheat, barley, corn and sunflower seeds arriving from Belarus and Russia for export at the port of Klaipėda starting November 16. Customs clearance will be completed after laboratory test results are received. The checks may take two months or longer. If the declared origin of a shipment proves false, it will be returned or destroyed. Exporters will bear the costs.
Lithuania announced an expansion of the checks in September. They are to cover both feed and food grain. Lithuanian authorities want to prevent the transit of grain from Ukrainian territories occupied by Russia.