Minsk - Belarus and Ukraine have repealed every restriction in bilateral trade and the situation is back to normal, the Belarusian Foreign Ministry said.
“Any reciprocal measures limiting bilateral trade were lifted at midnight on Aug. 19. Belarus will not license the imports of beer, confectionary and other products. Ukraine will not apply special duties varying from 50 percent to 60 percent,” Director of the Belarusian Foreign Ministry’s Foreign Economic Department Igor Nazaruk said at a press briefing in Minsk on Aug. 21.
“We are monitoring the situation and, to our knowledge, the conflict has been resolved,” he said.
Nazaruk reminded reporters that the Belarusian licensing of imported Ukrainian commodities aimed to restore order on the market.
“The pricing is back to normal. Bilateral agreements definitely say that any mutual claims shall be resolved at consultations and our actions will not be targeted against the partner,” he indicated.
As to the implications of mutual trade limits, Nazaruk said the republic had seen a decline in foreign trade volumes.
“But in the case of confectionary products and sugar, there has been 20 percent growth rather than a decline in that half a year. And those commodities had been subject to licensing until Aug. 19,” he stressed.
The ministry worker said such situations should be taken calmly. “We should stay calm; this is the question of entrepreneurial activities of business entities,” Nazaruk said.
