The Lithuanian Seimas has approved legislative changes that give the government the right to independently introduce economic sanctions against Russia and Belarus, without a separate decision from the European Union.
The new rules will allow the country to act independently if the EU's common position is blocked, national broadcaster LRT reports.
National sanctions against Russia and Belarus
According to the adopted amendments, the Lithuanian government will be authorized to apply two types of sanctions: asset freezing and sectoral economic restrictions. The lists of individuals and legal entities subject to restrictions will be compiled by the Cabinet of Ministers.
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102 deputies voted for the initiative, one abstained, and no one spoke against.
The amendments were initiated by the Lithuanian Ministry of Foreign Affairs. The ministry explained that the purpose of the changes is to create a national response mechanism in the event that EU sanctions are not extended.
They recalled that similar situations have already become a matter of concern due to the position of individual EU member states, in particular Hungary.
Let us recall that on June 16, the EU Council decided to extend the restrictions imposed in response to the annexation of Crimea and Sevastopol until June 23, 2026. These sanctions have been in force since 2014 and cover a wide range of economic and financial prohibitions.
On June 10, the European Commission presented the 18th package of sanctions against Russia, which includes new restrictions in the energy sector, banking, and the expansion of export bans.
