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Dec 12, 2008 (newstodate): Lithuania's Kaunas Airport has lost recent years' significant volumes of cargo due to rigid Lithuanian customs.
-In 2007 Kaunas Airport handled 58 percent of the country's air cargo, generating 6,816 tonnes of cargo. In 2008 the volume will hardly exceed 2,000 tonnes, says Arijandas Sliupas, Kaunas Airport general director.
-The reason behind the deplorable decline is not lack of the airport's capability or facilities. It is solely the mistaken attitude and procedues by the Lithuanian customs.
-The Lithuanian customs authority does not accept the notion of transit cargo traffic, requiring all incoming goods to be customs cleared as imports. But our cargo business is dependent on ex-China exports destined for Russia, transiting through our airport.
-With the customs' rigid approach slowing down all movements, this traffic has therefore dried up, being transited instead through Estonia's Tallinn Airport.
-We are losing business, both directly and indirectly, and top-one priority on my agenda is to seek negotiations with Lithuania's newly-appointed minister of transportation to seek his understanding and attention to this crucial issue, says Mr Sliupas.
-In 2007 Kaunas Airport handled 58 percent of the country's air cargo, generating 6,816 tonnes of cargo. In 2008 the volume will hardly exceed 2,000 tonnes, says Arijandas Sliupas, Kaunas Airport general director.
-The reason behind the deplorable decline is not lack of the airport's capability or facilities. It is solely the mistaken attitude and procedues by the Lithuanian customs.
-The Lithuanian customs authority does not accept the notion of transit cargo traffic, requiring all incoming goods to be customs cleared as imports. But our cargo business is dependent on ex-China exports destined for Russia, transiting through our airport.
-With the customs' rigid approach slowing down all movements, this traffic has therefore dried up, being transited instead through Estonia's Tallinn Airport.
-We are losing business, both directly and indirectly, and top-one priority on my agenda is to seek negotiations with Lithuania's newly-appointed minister of transportation to seek his understanding and attention to this crucial issue, says Mr Sliupas.