{"id":210527,"date":"2026-11-04T21:14:55","date_gmt":"2026-11-04T18:14:55","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/pozirk.online\/en\/news\/210527\/"},"modified":"2026-11-04T21:17:47","modified_gmt":"2026-11-04T18:17:47","slug":"geneva-to-remain-venue-for-bielaruskalij-lithuania-fertilizer-transit-dispute","status":"publish","type":"articles","link":"https:\/\/pozirk.online\/en\/news\/210527\/","title":{"rendered":"Geneva to remain seat for Bie\u0142aru\u015bkalij-Lithuania fertilizer transit arbitration"},"content":{"rendered":"\n
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November 4, Pozirk<\/em>.<\/strong> The arbitrators hearing the Belarusian potash giant Bie\u0142aru\u015bkalij\u2019s lawsuit against Lithuania over suspended fertilizer transit refused to move the seat of arbitration from Geneva in Switzerland, LRT<\/em> reports.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Bie\u0142aru\u015bkalij submitted its request to change it in early July, proposing Dubai, Singapore or another location outside the European Union. Lithuania filed an objection to the motion later that month.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The Belarusian potash giant argued that Switzerland was a neutral venue outside the EU when the arbitration seat was designated in June 2024. However, the decision to impose sanctions on Belarus in October 2025 \u201cdirectly affected the resolution of disputes between investors and states,\u201d the company said.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Vilnius maintained that the seat of arbitration could be changed only in exceptional circumstances and that the EU and Swiss sanctions imposed in 2025 did not make Geneva unsuitable for the proceedings.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The \u20ac12 billion arbitration lawsuit filed by Bie\u0142aru\u015bkalij against Lithuania in October 2023 is being heard by a three-member ad hoc tribunal under the 1976 UNCITRAL Arbitration Rules. Swiss arbitrator Gabrielle Kaufmann-Kohler chairs the panel, alongside Azzedine Kettani\u00a0of Morocco, appointed by Bie\u0142aru\u015bkalij, and Zachary Douglas from the United Kingdom, appointed by Lithuania.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Previously, Vilnius described Bie\u0142aru\u015bkalij\u2019s lawsuit as a political pressure tool and said it was ready to defend its position before the arbitration court. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Bie\u0142aru\u015bkalij remains a key source of income for the Alaksandar \u0141uka\u0161enka regime and enjoys preferential treatment to export potash fertilizers, according to the 2024 ruling by the European Court of Justice, which rejected appeals from Bie\u0142aru\u015bkalij and the Belarusian Potash Company (BPC) against EU sanctions.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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