Updated at 13:53,23-12-2024

“Cement War“ To Stir Up Between Lithuania And Belarus

"Charter-97"

The Lithuanian authorities say 90% of Belarusian cement supplies do not meet quality standards.

The decline in building volume in Lithuania caused by the economic crisis has led to production reduce of the only cement producer in the country – Akmenes Cementas plant. According to specialists, the cement consumption has reduced two twofold this year, A BaltInfo correspondent reports referring to an article in Verslo zinios newspaper.

Akmenes Cementas plant carried out some quality tests of the Belarusian cement delivered to the country and declared 90% of the imported cement do not meet the quality standards. "We have a well-equipped test laboratory. We check all cement we buy. We see every time that most complaint at Belarusian supplies have grounds," Vanda Keruliene, deputy head of quality control department of the State Inspection of Non-Food Products, told the newspaper.

Director General of Akmenes Cementas Arturas Zaremba confirmed that the plant management addressed the inspection on quality of the cement delivered to Lithuania several time this year. "When we began to check, we saw the real situation – not 5 but 90 per cent of the cement imported do not meet standards," Zaremba said. "A question arises: if the documents say the cement has some qualities, but it does not have in actual fact, how then can such a product be delivered to Lithuania?"

The Director General of Akmenes Cementas admitted that the Belarusian products decrease in price every month that is connected with depreciation of the national currency of the neighbouring country.