Negotiations on resuming imports of confectionery products made by the Ukrainian confectionery giant Roshen to Russia will begin in Moscow on Friday, says Gennady Onishchenko, the chief of the Russian consumer protection watchdog Rospotrebnadzor and the chief public health official.
“Russia has given its consent to this: Friday, 11:00 a.m.,” Onishchenko said.
It was reported earlier that Rospotrebnadzor had suspended imports of Roshen products to Russia reportedly due to mislabeling.
“Instead of starting negotiations with us, Ukrainian governmental organizations decided to set up a front against Russia. Let them continue acting this way. In doing so, they are postponing the moment, which would perhaps be a happy one for them, when we are satisfied with the measures taken and again allow the sale of these products on our market,” Onishchenko said.
“Don’t create antagonism toward Russia and don’t play with the facts, instead simply sit and attempt to reach an agreement,” he said.
“We are continuing to remove [Roshen products] from retail chains,” Onishchenko said, adding that Rospotrebnadzor still has questions about products made at four of Roshen’s factories in Ukraine.
“If you see chocolates produced by Roshen, they is [produced] at our factory in Lipetsk,” he said.
Rospotrebnadzor has yet to find out whether there are Roshen products made in Lithuania and Hungary, he said.
“Our objections remain the same. Our objections are consistent with our laws on consumer rights’ protection, that is, compliance with quality [standards],” Onishchenko said.
Benzopyrene was found in only one sample of Roshen products analyzed, he said.
Rospotrebnadzor earlier barred imports of certain kinds of cheese from Ukraine, but, after Ukrainian producers made certain steps to comply with Russian quality standards, imports of these products were resumed.
