Hundreds of Belarusians turn to authorities over cars stuck in Klaipėda port

Hundreds of Belarusians have signed a petition asking Lithuanian authorities to allow them collect their vehicles that got stuck in the port of Klaipėda after arriving from the United States. The authorities say there is a risk sanctions will be evaded.

Some 4,000 Belarusians cannot collect their cars and need to pay for their parking, Delfi reports. Many of them said they bought the cars before the sanctions limiting the entry of light vehicles into Belarus took effect.

In order to leave Lithuania, the Belarusians said they are required to show a manufacturer’s declaration. The cars have been wrecked and US companies do not want to get involved in sanction issues, they said.

The Customs Department told Delfi the vast majority of all cars exported to Belarus that are banned for shipment to Russia become registered in Belarus to circumvent international sanctions.

„Belarus is used as a transit country due to different international sanctions against Belarus and Russia and due to the fact that both countries maintain close economic and political relations,“ it said.

The Belarusians consider the restrictions to be unfair and plan to turn to court, a spokeswoman told Delfi.