Lithuania may send fire engines intended for Zimbabwe to Ukraine

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Lithuania is exploring the option of sending 17 fire engines to Ukraine. These vehicles were impounded in Klaipėda last year due to sanctions and were initially destined for Zimbabwe.

Source: BNS, a news agency covering the Baltic states; European Pravda

Details: “Yes, a pre-trial investigation is being conducted, and the prosecutor has decided, if I’m not mistaken, that the 17 vehicles that were to be shipped to Zimbabwe should be confiscated and the issue of their possible delivery to Ukraine is being considered,” said Lithuania’s Prosecutor General Nida Grunskienė.

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Last week, South African state-owned news website The Herald urged Lithuania to hand over 17 vehicles purchased by Zimbabwe from Belarus last year.

The vehicles were detained at the Klaipėda seaport in March last year, according to Zimbabwe’s attorney general.

“We have a decision by the prosecutor in which we are informing the Zimbabwean prosecutor’s office that these 17 fire engines have been confiscated because the company that manufactured these vehicles is subject to sanctions and Zimbabwe itself is also subject to sanctions,” Grunskienė noted.

She said the African state had also been informed of the decision through diplomatic channels.

“We are waiting to see if they will exercise their right to appeal,” Grunskienė added.

Notably, Zimbabwe’s attorney general visited Lithuania this year to request the return of the vehicles.

Background: 

• Lithuania’s neighbour Latvia regularly donates cars confiscated from drunk drivers to Ukraine.
• Former Latvian Prime Minister Krišjānis Kariņš (now serving as Latvia’s Foreign Minister) said in an interview with European Pravda that 100% of Latvian society supports Ukraine, even those who drive under the influence of alcohol.

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