Lithuania denies allegations of re-exporting laundered Ukrainian grain to Poland

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Lithuanian Minister of Agriculture Kęstutis Navickas states there have been no cases of imported Ukrainian grain being falsely labelled as a domestic product and re-exported to Poland, and that the protesting Polish farmers who made the allegations have been unable to back up their claims.

Source: European Pravda with reference to LRT

Quote: “We did not receive any such complaints and have been unable to prove the claims. We met with the Customs Department today, which is very fastidious in keeping records of any potentially illegal trade. There weren’t any.”

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Polish farmers believe that some of the Ukrainian grain sent to Lithuania is being re-exported to Poland.

Navickas and his Polish counterpart Cheslav Sekersky will meet remotely on Friday to discuss the situation at the state border as well as the demands of Polish farmers.

The conversation will take place after Polish farmers, who were unable to reach an agreement with Prime Minister Donald Tusk on Thursday, plan to partially blockade the Lithuanian-Polish border beginning Friday.

Background: 

• Lithuanian Prime Minister Ingrida Šimonytė previously stated that the actions of Polish farmers appear to be a hybrid operation of Russian special services aimed at dividing Ukraine’s allies.
• Lithuanian Foreign Minister Gabrielius Landsbergis also stated that the protests by Polish farmers bear similarities to “hybrid operations.”

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