Truck queues are forming on the border with Russia and Belarus

New sanctions against Russia and Belarus have entered into force since the weekend, some of which are linked to the lifting of import and export bans, leading to new restrictions that will be further controlled by customs. New sanctions also ban Russian and Belarusian road hauliers from transporting goods by road to the European Union.

According to Andrejs Vaivars, a representative of the State Revenue Service, more than 150 trucks from Belarus and Russia have not been allowed into Latvia until Sunday morning.

Currently, more than 1,000 cargo carriers on the Latvian-Russian border are waiting their turn to enter Latvia through the border checkpoints Terehova and Grebneva. Drivers have to spend several days in long queues, which have recently become permanent on the Latvian border with Russia and Belarus.

Cargo carrier Ruslans from Latvia says that he has been waiting in line for six days; the line stretches for 13 kilometers.

“It affects both work and psychology – try sitting in this hut for six days!”

The cargo carrier Pavel from Russia has had a similar experience. “This is due to the fact that Russia has banned the transit of sawn timber through Belarus, everyone is now passing through and therefore such queues. We live in a car for six days. Psychologically, I’m used to that kind of work. ”

Latvia’s customs work has changed since the beginning of Russia’s aggression in Ukraine and has been affected by economic sanctions against Russia, including a ban on imports into and exports from Russia of certain commodity groups, says Raimonds Zukuls, Director of the Customs Board.

“For example, we follow strategic goods that are not allowed to enter Russia, we check these cargoes. We have increased the intensity of physical control since before the war. Technical devices, mechanical devices are not allowed to be brought to Russia – the list is very long. “

Until the end of March, there have been 30 cases when the customs have prohibited the movement of goods with authorized goods across the Latvian border, three of which have been at the Grebneva customs control post.

More thorough inspection of cargo and in-depth examination of documents takes more time, the post supervisor points out. The volume of cargo imported from Russia also increased from 60 to 90%.

“It could take about an hour and a half for one machine to control all the documents, to control the physical loads. It used to take less time because you didn’t have to pay so much attention to the documents and the cargo itself, ”says Imants Šķirmants, Chief Supervisor of Grebneva Customs Control Post.

“The cowhide pandemic also affected the workers, but mostly the number of workers is sufficient, all jobs are covered. Customs controls are not reduced due to staff shortages. “

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