In the Russian mining town of Barentsburg, the same laws apply as throughout Svalbard.
Norwegian authorities have refused permission for a Russian mining company to transport goods to the territory of Svalbard through the mainland. This was reported by the NRK.
According to the Norwegian Ministry of Foreign Affairs, a specific application for a transport permit was rejected on June 15.
At the border station Sturskug “stuck” 20 tons of Russian of goods destined for the Russian mining town of Barentsburg on Svalbard.
The application was submitted by the Arctic Coal Trust and the Russian Embassy sent a letter to the Norwegian Foreign Ministry requesting an exemption from the sanctions. The letter from the Russians states that they are afraid of a humanitarian crisis if the goods are not passed through Sturskug. However, the Norwegian Foreign Ministry stated that the same laws apply in Barentsburg as in the whole of Svalbard.
Consul General of the Russian Federation Sergei Gushchev said that the situation is stable and Russian diplomats are working to obtain benefits for goods “for humanitarian reasons.”
Russian cargo used to arrive in Svalbard from Murmansk to Tromsø by truck through a single Sturskug checkpoint on the Russian-Norwegian border. Barentsburg is home to about 500 people, including miners working in Russia's Arctic Coal coal mines.
Norway is not a member of the EU, but is a member of the European Economic Area and has joined all six sanctions packages. introduced against Russia due to the invasion of Ukraine.
It will be recalled that a similar situation has developed with Russia's Kaliningrad. On June 18, Vilnius restricted the transit of goods subject to EU sanctions to Kaliningrad . These include construction cargo, cement and metals.
The Kremlin called the decision illegal and responded with a series of exercises by the Baltic Fleet and ground forces, which trained to fire from Hail twice a week. and “Hurricane”.
The European Commission is ready to allow the transit of Russian goods to Kaliningrad , indignant in “transit” Lithuania.
