The Lithuanian Seimas has proposed to terminate agreements on co-operation in the customs sphere with Belarus and Russia. The initiative was supported by 81 deputies who believe it is reasonable to denounce the agreement, because the Lithuanian customs authorities have not co-operated with the customs services of Belarus since the beginning of the conflict in Ukraine. In his talk with SB TV, Oleg Gaidukevich, the Deputy Chairman of the Standing Committee on International Affairs of the House of Representatives of the National Assembly, explained how this initiative should be treated.
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“I would like Lithuanians to react to this first of all. It should be obvious to them that a deputy must think of how to improve the well-being of his country’s citizens. How will the economic situation and well-being of people improve in Lithuania, if the customs agreement with Belarus is broken? I can answer for them: it will not improve, but it will get worse,” the MP said. “It is easier to break off a relationship than to build something new. Why should they not pass a law that Belarus does not exist in their brain at all? Will it make Lithuanians feel better? No. Will gas or electricity prices drop? Will the utility services become less expensive? Will the crime rate decrease and the economy grow? No. Meanwhile, these aspects matter. Even now, when an unprecedented number of sanctions have been imposed on the republic, Belarusian MPs will not adopt a single law that will somehow worsen the life of our citizens. We even think through retaliatory sanctions measures in such a way as not to harm ourselves. We are pragmatic people, we look at how profitable it is for us. In turn, Lithuanian MPs act against their country.”