<article><p class="lead">Lithuania's parliament, the Seimas, today approved amendments to the country's Law on Natural Gas that will ban gas imports from Russia and other countries deemed a threat to national security.</p><p>The Lithuanian cabinet of ministers <a href="https://direct.argusmedia.com/newsandanalysis/article/2332824">on 18 May</a> first approved these amendments, which aim to "ensure Lithuania's national and energy security", energy minister Dainius Kreivys said. The proposal followed <a href="https://direct.argusmedia.com/newsandanalysis/article/2315064">a 22 March resolution from the Seimas</a> that called on the government to create a legal framework that would enable Lithuania to "stop the import and use of Russian oil and natural gas as soon as possible".</p><p>The amendments bar access to Lithuania's gas transmission system and its 2.9mn t/yr Klaipeda LNG terminal, although it will not affect suppliers transporting gas through Lithuania to Kaliningrad.</p><p>Lithuania's entire gas demand is currently met by LNG from the US that is delivered at the Klaipeda terminal, the government said. Lithuania <a href="https://direct.argusmedia.com/newsandanalysis/article/2318354">stopped importing Russian gas for domestic consumption in early April</a>. The country has no shortage of gas now and is unlikely to face one in the future, Lithuanian utility <a href="https://direct.argusmedia.com/newsandanalysis/article/2332701">Ignitis said last month</a>, as it has secured adequate supply from non-Russian sources.</p><p class="bylines"><i>By Brendan A'Hearn</i></p></article>
