As of today, Monday, March 11, a newly implemented regulation in Lithuania states that individuals who own vehicles registered in Russia will face penalties or car confiscation. The Lithuanian Customs Service requires vehicle owners to either re-register their cars with local license plates or remove them from the country.
Russia-registered vehicles are now prohibited from entering the territory of the 27-member European Union due to EU sanctions against Russia. This measure was introduced as a result of a clarification provided by the European Commission on September 8. Brussels considers the entry of such vehicles as an import that is not allowed.
Russian nationals transiting to or from Kaliningrad (former Königsberg, annexed by Russia after the end of WWII) via Lithuania are not subject to the rule. However, the transit duration within the country should not exceed 24 hours, and it is compulsory for the vehicle owner to be present with valid documentation.
Approximately 50 vehicles with Russian license plates are still present in Lithuania, as reported by Lithuanian Customs.
Similar laws are also in effect in other Baltic states. In February, Latvia authorized the seizure of vehicles registered in Russia, which were then given as donations to support Ukraine in its war against Russian aggression.
In September, Estonia has also became a part of the license plate prohibition, although the country has not yet revealed any additional measures. Estonia’s Interior Minister characterized the newly established sanctions execution guidelines as rational but stressed that it might require some time to ensure compliance.
Russia-registered cars have also been banned in Finland, Poland, Bulgaria, Germany, and Norway, despite the fact that Norway is not a member of the EU but shares a land border with Russia.
The EU authorities’ decisions have been vehemently decried by Putin’s regime. In November, Maria Zakharova, the spokesperson for the Russian Foreign Ministry, ranted and raved about the guidelines set by Brussels concerning vehicles registered in Russia, labeling them as ‘clear examples of racism’, while the Russian embassy in Latvia condemned the upcoming confiscation of Russia-registered vehicles that have not been removed from Lithuania before the deadline, as an ‘act of state robbery’.
SOURCE: Lithuania Starts Seizing Cars with Banned Russian Plates BY: eTurboNews | eTN