Lithuania came up with a new way to block transit to Kaliningrad

Lithuania is again raising obstacles to the transit of goods between Russia and its exclave of Kaliningrad Oblast. After The EC put pressure on the Lithuanian authorities to allow the transit of sanctioned goods between the Russian Federation and its westernmost region, it has now become clear that the only bank – “Siauliu bank” (Siauliu bankas), through which payments for this transit are made, stops any banking operations with Russia and Belarus from September 1referring to the European sanctions against the Russian and Belarusian banking sector, writes the Lithuanian publication “Delphi”

“Shauliai Bank” remained the only one among the country’s largest banks that still makes payments between business entities of Lithuania and Russia, Belarus. All other banks have already stopped accepting any payments from these countries. However, this bank promises to stop them from autumn.

“From August 15 this year, we will not make payments in Russian rubles, regardless of the country of the beneficiary, and from September 1 payments to or from the Russian Federation and Belarus in any currency,” the bank said. Representatives of the financial institution said that the bank did not stop working with Russia and Belarus for the longest time for the sake of customer convenience.

“Payments to and from Russia and Belarus in any currency will be suspended from September 1, except in exceptional cases necessary for humanitarian purposes and state functions,” the bank added. Since May 6, Swedbank has not served payments between Lithuania and Russia, Belarus, SEB bankas – since May 15, Luminor Bank – since June 30.

The Kremlin sent a note to Lithuaniain which they draw attention to the fact that this bank was the only one through which payments were made for the transit of goods to and from the Kalinigrad region and this decision practically blocked this transit again.

So far, there is no official reaction from the Lithuanian authorities.