Minsk ready to replace potassium transit via Lithuania with Russia

MINSK, Aug 16 (PRIME) – Minsk is ready to respond rapidly to Lithuania’s potential transit ban of Belarusian potassium fertilizers by redirecting the exports to the Russian ports, the Belarusian Transport and Communications Minister Alexei Avramenko said on Monday.

Previously, Belarusian Prime Minister Roman Golovchenko said that Minsk would be able to export potassium fertilizers via the Murmansk and Leningrad Region’s ports by December.

“We signed an agreement with Russia in February, and have as a matter of fact already transported around 1 million tonnes of oil products. Thus, we have our options. Those are the ports of the Leningrad region and Murmansk. This model has already been tested,’ Belta news agency quoted Avramenko as saying.

“This is why our country’s response to the introduction of such measures or other changes in the potassium exports will be rapid.”

Previously, Lithuania’s Communications and Transport Minister Marius Skuodis said exports of Belarusian potassium fertilizers produced by the companies from the US sanction list, would be suspended in December. According to Sputnik Belarus, the minister said that banks would cease to accept bills for services provided to the companies from the sanction list forcing third parties to avoid the risk by not dealing with themr.

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