What could be the real cost of a fertilizer scandal: that answer is at someone’s table
Egidijus Kasselis, a legal expert, stated that the suspension of transit is legally possible.
“From a legal point of view, a transit stop is possible at least under several international conventions. (…) From a legal point of view, in my head, it is possible. I do not even doubt that during the 4 months we had, both the Klaipeda Port Authority, Lithuanian Railways and their direct shareholder, the Ministry of Transport and Communications, really had all the conclusions and suggestions of the lawyers, ”E. explained in the Info Day program. Kassel.
Asked if sanctions were announced in the US in corpore should enter into force in Lithuania as well, lawyer E. Kassel answered very simply.
“I will be very clear and concise – in legal terms they should not be applied. Because there are three criteria: a U.S. entity, U.S. dollar billing, and U.S. territory. Paradoxically or not, the buyers are also US companies. It is directly the USA and Lithuania, being a member of the EU, that there is no common contact here, ”said the person of the Info Day program.
Lawyer E. Kassel reminded that the contract with the company transporting fertilizers is valid until the end of 2023.
“It simply came to our notice then. That’s now their annual load is about 3 billion. That’s really the answer to having something on the table – how much they can calculate the loss. And Lithuania should clearly communicate how Lithuania will suffer in the fight for democracy – what the “railways” will carry, what Klaipeda port will handle, and all other infrastructure, “the man assured.
Politicians say that Lithuania has a tool to stop further transit of fertilizers through Lithuania. Lawyer E. Kassel predicted that lawyers would have a lot of work to do.
“And big losses for the Lithuanian state,” said the lawyer.
According to him, Lithuania would have to legally argue the threat to national security if such a path were chosen.
“I will give an example, now there are two different acts operating on the Belarusian border – there is an emergency and a state of emergency, which is also such a small legal nonsense. That is, if we follow such a path, it will be difficult to avoid losses, ”E. Kassel told Info Day.
“In order to harm the Belarussian regime, we will do more harm to ourselves, and they will suffer a bit. I think what they will try to do is break down that amount of fertilizer a few times. Let’s say Latvia is not as scrupulous in terms of both Belarusian electricity and fertilizer. I think they will be happy to take that quantity or part of it from Lithuania. Do not forget that Lithuania fought so much that it had those goods in transit – our economy would develop so that the flows would flow through Lithuania, ”the lawyer explained his position.
E. Kassel stated that Lithuania’s decision to suspend transit to Belarus was even more “pasted into Russia’s arms”.
“The Russians can compensate for half or all of the extra costs. And Latvians too. I think that the port of Ventspils is not really used and will take advantage of that situation, “he said.
Asked how this whole situation would end, lawyer E. Kassel stated that the rule of law must prevail over politics.
An overview of the full conversation here: