Access to Russian market blocked for about 60 Belarusian companies - Lukashenko
MINSK. May 21 (Interfax) - Access to the Russian market has been cut off for about 60 Belarusian companies by Russian bans, and something needs to be done, Belarusian President Alexander Lukashenko said, according to the state news agency BelTA.
"The second issue which has not been solved yet is the export of Belarusian agricultural produce to the Russian market. As far as I know, about 60 Belarusian enterprises cannot deliver their products to Russia. The situation (and this never happened before) is that we cannot fulfill even existing trade balances because Russia does not fulfill its obligations. Why don't you take any measures?" Lukashenko said.
Restrictions on Russian imports of Belarusian produce are a thorny issue in bilateral relations. Russia periodically bans deliveries from Belarusian dairy and meat companies and introduces restrictions on individual categories of goods. In April, for instance, it unilaterally banned imports of bone-in beef, apples, and pears from Belarus.