Lithuania unilaterally increased transit tariffs to Kaliningrad – Kommersant

Governor of the Kaliningrad region Anton Alikhanov said that Lithuania unilaterally revised tariffs for rail transit of goods to his region due to the reluctance to lose profits after the introduction of quotas on them. The day before it became known that from the beginning of 2024, Lithuania will increase the cost of railway transit from the Kaliningrad region and back by almost 61%.

“Lithuania is now unilaterally, as it usually does, revising tariffs for railway transit. What’s happening? They saved us railway transit. Why? Because it brings money, too. But we couldn’t deny ourselves the pleasure of accepting some kind of restriction, at least somehow doing something bad for our country. They set so-called quotas,” the governor said in an interview “RIA News”.

In 2022, after the introduction of EU sanctions, the Lithuanian authorities used quotas to limit land transit for the transport of sanctioned goods by rail to the Kaliningrad region. Restrictions include building materials, wood, metals, cement, caviar and alcohol.

Anton Alikhanov noted that the quota mechanism implies a reduction in the volume of transported products. “What is Lithuania doing? Loses money. What should you do to avoid losing money? Increase the tariff per unit of transported goods. Which is what they do. The entire policy of the Lithuanian side suggests that they really don’t want to lose money,” the governor said.

Previously Anton Alikhanov saidthat restrictions on land transit to the Kaliningrad region through Lithuania bring Russia about 2 billion rubles. damage annually.

Anastasia Larina