To bypass the EU sanctions imposed on the Lukashenko and Putin regimes, timber is being imported into Europe with forged Kyrgyz or Kazakh certificates. A continuation of an international journalistic investigation, in which Re:Baltica is also participating, has revealed that a Polish company owned by an entrepreneur from Daugavpils is involved in these schemes.

The scheme is simple – forged certificates are obtained for timber from sanctioned countries, claiming it originates from Kyrgyzstan or Kazakhstan. We previously wrote about several companies that engage in this practice*. At that time, we also reported on Lithuanian entrepreneur Saulius Girčius, who, not knowing he was speaking to the press, candidly revealed that the Kyrgyz wood pellets he sells were actually produced in Belarus. After this information was published and other media outlets began asking him questions, he revealed in an interview with Lithuanian radio exactly whom he had bought the timber from. He said the “Kyrgyz” pellets were supplied to him by the Polish company PLRBL.

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Lithuanian entrepreneur Saulius Kocys (Saulius Kocys), whose company's involvement in a suspected sanctions evasion scheme was uncovered by Siena, admits that his company was involved in the operation. The Lithuanian national, who lives and works in Kyrgyzstan, has publicly apologised and announced the suspension of the operations of the company involved in the alleged sanctions violation.

“I will burn in flames of shame and self-reproach,” writes S. Kocys.

This week, Siena published another chain of companies that uses the import of Belarusian-produced urea into Lithuania. The sole manufacturer of urea is the state-owned enterprise Grodno Azot, which is included on the EU sanctions list. The Klaipėda company Girera paid for rail transport, while the buyer was the Kyrgyz company Misir. Ko, which is majority-owned by the Lithuanian entrepreneur S. Kocys.

Girera manager Agnė Maročkaitė (Agnė Maročkaitė) categorically denied this information even after it was confirmed by Lietuvos geležinkeliai. Now, S. Kocys has also confirmed it.

“The company Misir. Ko (of which I (Saulius Kocys) am a co-owner) was involved in the export of Belarusian fertilisers in January and February of this year. The contract was signed and executed by my partners based on assurances that it was not a sanctioned product, without explaining the situation to me. (...) I apologise to everyone whom I have disappointed through the irresponsible actions of myself and my colleagues,” he said in a publicly released statement, a copy of which was also sent to Siena.

The entrepreneur confirms that the urea supply contract has been terminated and the operations of Misir. Ko have been suspended.

S. Kocys concludes his public statement with a commitment not to provide any further comments. “In the near future (while I burn in flames of shame and self-reproach) there will be no comments,” explains S. Kocys.

We remind you that at the end of March, law enforcement authorities announced an extensive pre-trial investigation into the smuggling of Belarusian fertilisers and the violation of sanctions. During the investigation, 3,000 tonnes of urea were seized – this is the cargo that Siena and Atvira Klaipėda intercepted in early February at the site of the Klaipėda company Birių krovinių terminalas (BKT). According to the Customs Department and the Prosecutor General's Office, a pre-trial investigation was launched in January of this year. (...)
* https://www.tvnet.lv/7673596/vislabak-vest-caur-poliju-un-latviju-vini-uzdod-vismazak-jautajumu
https://www.tvnet.lv/7743984/sankcionetas-koksnes-legalizesanas-shema-paradas-ari-latvijas-uznemejs
https://siena.lt/news/galimo-sankciju-apejimo-schemoje-sudalyvaves-lietuvis-prisipazista-ir-atsipraso
https://www.siena.lt/news/galimo-sankciju-apejimo-schemose-dar-viena-klaipedos-imone