Opinions & Interviews

MINSK, 11 August (BelTA) – Russian sanctions do not hamper the legal movement of goods from the European Union and Ukraine across the Belarusian border, head of the organizational and analytical department of the State Customs Committee of Belarus Alexander Petrov told reporters on 11 August, BelTA has learnt.

Belarusian and Russian customs services have agreed on the approaches to the customs administration of goods banned from the import to Russia during their movement across the Belarusian section of the Customs Union border. “The agreements reached are in full compliance with Belarus’ international obligations and do not create obstacles for the legal movement of goods from the European Union and Ukraine across the Belarusian border,” Alexander Petrov emphasized. In his words, since 7 August 2014 no vehicle carrying goods banned in Russia was refused entry without legal grounds envisaged in the Customs Union or Belarus.

No changes have been made to the import of meat products, fish, dairy products, fruits and vegetables for Belarus’ domestic market.

On 6 August Russia’s President Vladimir Putin signed the Executive Order On Special Economic Measures to Protect the Russian Federation’s Security.

This document imposes immediate bans, for one year, on imports of certain agricultural products originating from the countries that supported anti-Russian sanctions. The document reads that these measures are aimed to protect the national interests of the Russian Federation. The document bans the import of pork, beef, poultry, fish, cheese, milk, fruits and vegetables from Australia, Canada, the European Union, the United States, and Norway.