Legal measures against Yandex.Taxi are being looked for, Lithuanian PM says

He warned people, however, to use the app of the Russian capital company registered in the Netherlands responsibly.

“Uproar has been caused, and it’s natural why it’s been caused. But that’s not a company having strategic significance. And the legislation clearly regulating the entry of investors and preventive checks, including those of special services, do not apply to this company. (…) The first step has been made and clear threats have been identified, and we are now waiting for proposals for decision-makers. (…) I believe we will soon have very clear proposals as a decision-maker, be it the government or at the municipal level, on how to solve this problem,” Skvernelis told the national radio LRT on Tuesday.

He underlined, however, that national and EU law must be observed in search of Yandex.Taxi solutions.

“We should not even talk about our direct interference into an incoming business, especially a company registered in an EU country, and regulate it politically. Everything must comply with our legal regulations, not only national ones but also those regulating the establishment of all companies and their activity in the EU,” the Lithuanian prime minister said.

Nevertheless, Skvernelis warned residents to consider the issue of their personal data very seriously and consider the necessity to use the Yandex.Taxi app.

Lithuania’s State Security Department recommends people who might be of interest to Russian special services against using the app. And the National Cyber Security Center has also warned that the Yandex.Taxi app regularly send consumer data to servers in Russia.

Yandex.Taxi launched operations in Vilnius on Jul. 26. The company’s representatives say they are an informational society service, and Yandex.Taxi complies with personal data protection requirements.