State re-authorizes transportation of non-sanctioned goods to Russia
After a pause of almost three months, Estonian transport companies will again be issued with permits to transport goods that are not subject to sanctions, both to Russia and via Russia to third countries.
Around 300 Estonian transportation companies have been granted permits to transport various non-sanctioned goods to Russia. While no new permits have been issued to them in recent months, the distribution of permits has now resumed.
"It is very difficult for Estonia alone to regulate this situation. And we can prohibit, for example, our transporters from transporting non-sanctioned goods, but we know that the aggressor country will not suffer fs a result of this – the goods will simply move through Latvia. That is why we are now focused on – well, at least are trying – to agree common approaches with Latvia, Lithuania, Poland and Finland for next year," said Estonian Minister of Infrastructure Vladimir Svet (Center).
As the European Union has not imposed a trade embargo on Russia and has stipulated that certain goods can still be shipped to Russia, transport companies believe that all countries should be subject to the same rules.
"If you do it, do it all together. For this thing to work, everybody has to make a united decision that we will close the borders and nobody will take goods to Russia. Then it would have an impact. If only one country makes the decision and the others carry on (as before), it will have no effect," said Ermo Perolainen, secretary general of the Association of Estonian International Road Carriers (ERAA).
Since the issuing of transport permits started a few weeks ago, trucks with Estonian license plates are again waiting to cross the border at the Luhamaa and Koidula border crossing points.
"Actually, the number of vehicles crossing the border crossing is the same, it's just that when Estonian companies did not have the permits, Estonian vehicles could not enter Russia," explained Toomas Huik, head of the South Customs Checkpoint at the Tax and Customs Board at Luhamaa, Võru County.
"This place was immediately filled by cars from other countries. And now, once these permits are issued again in Estonia, Estonian vehicles are again present at the border crossing point and that is reflected in comparison to those other cars. Overall, it has not affected the amount of traffic, but if we look at the proportions, then yes, there were no Estonian cars during that time, and now they are back again," Huik said.
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Editor: Merili Nael, Michael Cole
Source: "Aktuaalne kaamera"
