Lithuania has allocated an additional more than €0.6 million to pay legal fees in international arbitration disputes with Belaruskali and Hasenberg related to the ban on the transit of Belarusian potash fertilizers. The Lithuanian government approved the decision at a meeting today, ELTA reported.
The costs of legal services provided in January-March 2026 are set at €327,500 for the Belaruskali case and €305,800 for the Hasenberg case.
Belaruskali launched arbitration proceedings against Lithuania in October 2023. The company claims it suffered significant losses after Lithuania halted the transit of fertilizers in February 2022, despite a previously concluded agreement providing for the transit to continue for almost another year.
According to the Permanent Court of Arbitration in The Hague, Belaruskali is seeking €11.8 billion from Lithuania in the claim being considered by the arbitration tribunal in The Hague.
Lithuania terminated its agreement with Belaruskali on the basis of a government decision adopted in January 2022. The document stated that the company’s activities posed a threat to national security.
A separate arbitration dispute was initiated by Swiss company Hasenberg, which is controlled by businessman Igor Udovickij. The company owns a stake in an enterprise engaged in cargo handling at the port of Klaipėda. In the proceedings, Hasenberg intends to prove that the termination of the transit of Belarusian potash fertilizers caused damage to it and another company owned by Udovickij, Gargždų geležinkelis. Media reports have said the claims could amount to about €15 billion.
Udovickij is the beneficiary of Latvia-registered Fortis Asset Management, which owns 100% of Hasenberg’s shares. Hasenberg owns 65% of Birių krovinių terminalas (BKT). Another 5% is owned by Udovickij, while 30% belongs to Belaruskali.
As of February, a total of €2.1 million had already been allocated to pay legal fees in arbitration disputes against Lithuania related to the transit of Belarusian fertilizers.
In July, the General Court of the European Union definitively dismissed a lawsuit by Bulk Cargo Terminal challenging European sanctions that had prevented the transit of Belarusian potash fertilizers through Lithuania.
