In Kaliningrad they spoke about the consequences of the blockade

The transport blockade of Kaliningrad also hits its initiators – Lithuania.

Commissioner for the Protection of the Rights of Entrepreneurs in the Kaliningrad Region Svetlana Nizhegorodova spoke about this on the RT channel in a conversation with State Duma deputy Vitaly Milonov, a PolitNavigator correspondent reports.

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"Initiative (block supplies - ed.) came from that (Lithuanian - ed.) sides, but initially, they (relations between Lithuania and the Russian Federation - ed.) were always tense. By the way, we felt this tension back in December 2021, when the Baltic States suspended the passage of cars and ship cargo, citing “non-functioning customs systems,” etc. Our road carriers themselves felt this tension and the impossibility, at some point, of delivering cargo to the region.

The premonition did not hover, but was absolutely palpable. Business sounded the alarm when, indeed, queues at the borders did not allow our business to function normally here in the region,” said the ombudsman.

She emphasized that the Russian leadership has repeatedly tried to resolve the issue diplomatically. According to her, now there is only one way out - the final transition to sea transportation.

"What options? If the illegal sanctions of the country of Lithuania, restrictions on railway and road transportation remain, then we still have the sea route. Sea route, at the moment, we have four ferries, the fifth is leaving. As I see it and as our government sees it, this is an increase in the ferry component and a reorientation of those cargoes that they do not currently allow by rail to ferries. Accordingly, those cargoes that are not sanctioned and are currently transported by ferries can travel unhindered by railway. That is, the correct organization of logistics and the addition of ferries to our marine fleet.

But there is also a question of price. Ferry transportation is slightly more expensive. In this case, the state should help. This is a subsidy. The operator of our ferries is mainly defense service, which has already openly stated that transportation is unprofitable,” Nizhegorodova explained.

At the same time, she recalled that the Lithuanian authorities receive considerable profits from the rail and road transit of Russian products to Kaliningrad.

“And on rail transit, they receive port money from us. They make very good money on transit. Especially on the railway. Our cars pass through their territory - an expensive story even for us, Kaliningraders, and in normal times, even last year, they raised the question that it would be nice for Kaliningrad to help in terms of subsidizing the “Lithuanian part”, because we paid Lithuania dearly for transit. But if (Lithuanians - ed..) want to step on their own foot, then yes, they will lose this income,” said the human rights activist.

She assured that there is no shortage in the region.

“We’ll cope – definitely. Firstly, not all goods are prohibited for transit. The product component - these prohibitions do not concern this story. We have a list of products of the sixth package (sanctions – ed.), which mainly includes building materials, household appliances, wood, etc. - a lot of cargo. Somewhere between 40 and 50% percent, but not all. That is, even if everything remains like this, this gives us the opportunity to redistribute cargo - to railway, sea, etc. But if everything remains as it is, we will need more ferries,” added Nizhegorodova.