Russian sanctions against the EU and other countries violate the rules of the World Trade Organization and could provide the reason for Russia’s expulsion, the Polish Minister of Agriculture Marek Sawicki said in a interview with Gazeta Wyborcza, reports Ukrainska Pravda, August 8.
“Russia does not respect international agreements when it believes there is a threat to its interests. A week ago we did a lot of work designed to resolve the situation with the banning of Polish fruit and vegetables, which violated the WTO agreements. We did not expect that Russia would move further. The ban on all exports from the EU — this is a large-scale violation,” he said.
According to Sawicki, Russia can be punished for these export bans.
“These massive violations by Russia are sufficiently large to threaten it with expulsion from the WTO,” he said.
In his view, expulsion would become possible if EU complaints are followed by deliberate steps. “I can assure you that for Russia this is not a matter of such indifference,” he said.
As previously reported, on August 6, the President of the Russian Federation Vladimir Putin banned the import of products and raw materials from countries participating in the sanctions against the RF (for its aggression against Ukraine).
The list of banned products includes all milk products, fruit and vegetable products, and fish. Meat, meat products, and cereals are on the list of partially restricted products. Alcoholic beverages are absent from the first list (of completely banned products).
Sanctions against the Russian Federation have been imposed by all EU countries, USA, Canada, Norway, Switzerland, Japan, South Korea, and Australia. Russia has announced that it is also prepared to introduce “protective measures” in automotive production, aircraft manufacturing, and shipbuilding.
Translated by Anna Mostovych
Source: Pravda
Photo: Marcin Obara / Polska Agencja Prasowa)
