VILNIUS - Lietuvos Gelezinkeliai (Lithuanian Railways), has announced that it was postponing a planned tariff increase for cargo transit to the Kaliningrad enclave and introducing a tariff for commercial cargo transit on the country's major highways.
The state-run railway operator said the tariffs on Kaliningrad-bound cargo would not go into effect until July 1, 2005. Any new increase is bound to irritate Russia, which is trying to win beneficial treatment for rail-based cargo shipments to Kaliningrad in its negotiations with EU leaders in Brussels.
Juozas Senuta, deputy CEO of Lithuanian Railways, said that Lithuania and Russia are currently negotiating tariffs but refused to provide details, saying only the Foreign Ministry could do so.
"Prices are moving higher in every sector, be it fuel or electricity. Moreover, we have to maintain our rolling stock, raise wages. That is why we planned to boost the tariffs from Russia to Kaliningrad by 15 percent," he said in the company's defense.
Currently the tariff for conveyance of oil, petroleum products and ferrous metals stood at 737 euros per ton, while the rate for frozen foodstuffs made up 14.1 euros per ton, according to Senuta.
According to the data made available by the Statistics Department, cargo flow via Lithuania's railways amounted to 11.6 million tons in the first three months of 2005, a rise of 1 percent year-on-year.
Meanwhile, the country's auto-transport authorities said that beginning May 31 it would begin charging commercial trucks and vehicles for passage on 18 of the country's highways. The minimal daily fee will be 20 litas (5.8 euros), depending on the net weight of the cargo.
The new tariff will go toward supporting the country's roads.
