Belarus promises Russia not to re-export Western food

Since it fully supports the desire of its eastern neighbor to protect the domestic market, the Belarusian side will prevent the re-export over its territory of food items banned for import to Russia. This is how Minister of Food and Agriculture Leanid Zayats reassured his Russian colleagues today in Minsk at a meeting with Sergey Dankvert, head of the Federal Service for Veterinary and Phytosanitary Surveillance of the Russian Federation, BELTA reports. 

At the meeting Sergey Dankvert voiced concern over the frequent detection of substandard imported agricultural products from third countries. Leanid Zayats in turn noted that Belarus has strengthened control over the safety of goods transported across the border. 

It should be recalled that on August 6 Russian President Vladimir Putin signed a decree "On the application of certain special economic measures to ensure the security of the Russian Federation." The document introduces a year restriction on the import of agricultural products from the states that supported the anti-Russian sanctions. The decree states that the measures are taken to protect the national interests of the Russian Federation. The list of foreign agricultural products completely banned from entering Russia includes beef, pork, poultry, fish, cheese, milk, fruits and vegetables from Australia, Canada, the EU, the USA, Norway.