Lukashenko, Senko discuss customs affairs

Belarus President Aleksandr Lukashenko heard out a report of Chairman of the State Customs Committee Yuri Senko on 5 October, BelTA informs.The president was interested in the overall performance of the agency, but also asked about the situation on the borders with Lithuania, Latvia, Poland and Ukraine:

(soundbite)

I am especially curious about two Baltic states – Lithuania and Latvia. As you inform me, almost 40% of freight vehicles come from Lithuania and Latvia this year. This is a huge volume. If we take on this flow, logistics hubs of Lithuania will underperform by nearly a quarter.

Belarus and Russia are now discussing the reorientation of Belarusian cargo (oil products, potash fertilizers and other goods) from the Baltic direction to the port of Ust-Luga. In this respect – provided the Russians offer us good terms - how does the Customs Committee see the reorientation of these goods?