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"The increase in excise duty took place in Latvia, Lithuania and Estonia, and the trade scale fell in all the countries as well. I just would not say that it is due to excise duty, especially given, that the collection of the excise duty has increased. We speak as if smuggling is a new phenomenon, but it existed in the past as well. Did tobacco production increase in Kaliningrad? No, there is no data proving that," said Chairman of the Seimas Committee on National Security and Defence Arvydas Anusauskas at a news conference "How smuggling influences Lithuanian economy?" held at the Conference hold of ELTA news agency.

According to him, the increase in excise duty did not have direct influence on smuggling.

Vice President of the Lithuanian Confederation of Industrialists Gediminas Rainys was of a different opinion. According to him, if there was no significant difference between the prices of excise goods in Lithuania and Russia, there would be fewer residents involved into illegal smuggling business.

"Probably, economic instruments would be the best antidote to smuggling. The ideal situation would be a slight difference in prices, if not equality," said Rainys.

Former Chairman of the Seimas Committee on National Security and Defence Alvydas Sadeckas regretted that the decisions adopted by the Seimas, such as the increase in excise duty, were not assessed in terms of crime.

All participants of the discussion agreed that a big problem was where the money received from smuggling was used. According to Chairman of the National Association of Officer's Trade Unions of the Republic of Lithuania Vytautas Bakas, it is no secret that political parties are being funded from smuggling money.

Chairman of the Seimas Committee on National Security and Defence said that smugglers did not finance the parties, however, they influence politicians of the autonomies in bordering areas.