The Lithuanian transport association Linava has not yet received official confirmation regarding the return of trucks from Belarus. On Friday, Alyaksandr Lukashenka publicly stated that the process of returning vehicles held since last autumn would begin on Monday.
“We do not have an official document yet, although we are very much waiting for it and hope it will appear today. However, this public promise must be fulfilled. We hope so,” said Linava head Erlandas Mikenas on LRT radio.
According to him, truck owners are also concerned about parking fees in Belarus. Initially, Lukashenka mentioned a rate of 120 euros per day.
“We stood for four months — about 120 days. If the initial fee was 120 euros per day, then for one tractor unit over four months it amounts to 14,400 euros. The arithmetic is very simple. The question is where companies will find such funds, and also where they will find drivers, because drivers are already working in other companies and often not even in our country,” Mikenas said.
Lukashenka ранее acknowledged that such fees could be unaffordable for transport companies, noting that “they would not take back half of these vehicles because the cost would exceed their purchase price.” He added that a “European-level price” would likely be set.
Another issue is the process of crossing the border. According to Mikenas, if trucks are processed at the current pace, they could remain at the border for another month. The association has already appealed to Lithuanian customs authorities.