Poland, Bulgaria, Hungary, Romania and Slovakia support extending the European Union’s ban on Ukrainian grain imports to those countries until the end of the year, Polish Agriculture Minister Robert Telus said on Friday, as quoted by Reuters.
In May, the European Union allowed Ukraine’s five neighboring countries to ban domestic sales of Ukrainian wheat, corn, canola and sunflower seeds, while allowing the transit of such cargoes for export elsewhere. This ban is due to end on September 15.
“We support a ban on imports into our countries until the end of the year,” Telus said at a press conference.
“I mean, even if that fails, some countries will introduce their own restrictions. Our statement is clear.”
“The five countries’ agriculture ministers have also agreed to support grain transit subsidies and want other products to be added to the list of import bans, such as raspberries in the case of Poland”, Telus added.
Yesterday, the Bulgarian Minister of Agriculture and Food Kiril Vatev said that the negotiations with the European Commission of the five countries on the import of agricultural goods from Ukraine are continuing, but each of these countries has different interests. According to him, Bulgaria refuses to demand a ban on the import of wheat, but insists that the ban on the import of sunflower and unrefined oil should remain