KALININGRAD, July 13. /TASS/. The authorities of the Kaliningrad region positively assessed the EU decision on Kaliningrad transit, but consider the mechanism for determining the average volume of transit cargo to the region unclear, Dmitry Lyskov, head of the press service of the regional government, told TASS.

On Wednesday, the European Commission published on the guidelines for EU member states on the transit of goods from Russia. According to the clarifications, rail transit to Kaliningrad of a number of goods is permitted by EU sanctions, subject to certain conditions. Transportation should be subject to "targeted, proportionate and effective control" by the authorities of the EU countries. At the same time, the transit of goods by road by Russian operators is still banned.

"Today's clarifications are a step in the right direction. However, we still do not understand the effect of a ban on the transit of sanctioned goods by road, we are trying to figure it out," Lyskov said.

"The point [of guidelibes] that EU countries must control transit volumes so that they remain within the limits of the values for the last three years is not very clear. It is not clear how this will be implemented and what follows from this. If we start a large construction site and we need a lot of cement, and at some point its volume exceeds the average value for the last three years due to objective consumption, what are we supposed to do? Stop construction?" he wondered.

The situation with cargoes that arrive at the Kaliningrad ports from Russian mainland and then are sent by sea to countries, which continue to trade with Russia, is incomprehensible, the official noted.

"Does this mean Russia's ban on foreign trade through the port of Kaliningrad? These points, in our opinion, also require further study," Lyskov said.

According to the guidelines of the European Commission, rail transit of oil and oil products, coal, steel and iron, wood, cement and other non-military goods to Kaliningrad is not prohibited. After the publication of the guidelines, the Lithuanian Foreign Ministry reported that Vilnius positively assesses them, and noted that Lithuania will effectively ensure "the application of sanctions and will closely monitor, principally evaluate and effectively control whether Russia is trying to abuse transit opportunities."

The Russian Foreign Ministry Spokeswoman Maria Zakharova said that Russia would closely monitor the implementation of EU steps on the transit to Kaliningrad. She also called the decision of the European Commission a manifestation of "realism and common sense", while noting that Russia still has questions about the content of the document.