The Lithuanian National Association of Road Transporters "Linava" and customs have agreed that if Belarus allows the return of detained Lithuanian trucks, the procedure for their entry into the country will be temporarily simplified.
Customs will allow trucks to leave Lithuania without semi-trailers so that they can return from Belarus with the semi-trailers left there, Linava reported.
Linava President Erlandas Mikenas told BNS that this decision will speed up the procedures when Minsk allows Lithuanian trucks to return.
"We are thinking ahead here, if there is a team (from Minsk – BNS) to let the trucks through, we will have another problem that the Lithuanian customs officers will not let them through (they will check them for a long time at the border checkpoints – BNS). (...) They have enough work, so there are queues at the border. We have already sent the license plates (of the trucks – BNS), collecting them from the members (of the association – BNS), so there will be fewer procedures when they arrive at the border,” explained E. Mikenas
According to him, the semi-trailers in Belarus are loaded with cargo, so according to the agreement, there will be fewer procedures when they are checked at the Lithuanian customs.
“This decision opens a real way for companies to return their assets and reduce growing losses,” the statement said.
However, according to Linava, the issue of returning the trucks remains unresolved.
“The most important thing for us was to ensure that carriers do not lose their semi-trailers, which are their property and means of work, and can get them back as soon as the arrangements for the return of all equipment. Together with the Customs, we have found a way to ensure their return transportation, and this is an important step towards stabilizing the situation,” E. Mikenas said in a statement.
As BNS reported, Lithuania closed the border with Belarus for a month until the end of November due to the threat of smuggling balloons, but after the situation improved, it decided to open it 10 days earlier than planned. The Medininkai and Šalčininkai border crossings resumed operations last Thursday.
Despite the resumption of operations at two border checkpoints, the Minsk regime is preventing trucks from returning to Lithuania, keeping them in special parking lots and charging them 120 euros per day.
The Customs told BNS that it is looking for ways to increase the throughput capacity of the border checkpoints in anticipation of the return of more than a thousand detained Lithuanian trucks and semi-trailers. According to the Customs, 1,000 trucks may be checked and allowed through within a few weeks.