Bulgaria wants to ban imports of Ukrainian grain, following the model of Poland and Hungary
Bulgaria wants to ban the import of Ukrainian grain, following the example of Poland and Hungary, which have justified their decision by wanting to protect their agricultural sector. Meanwhile, the Ukrainian minister for agricultural policy and food is due to travel to Poland today to discuss with his counterpart the resumption of transit of Ukrainian goods through the country. The European Commission, on the other hand, calls Warsaw's and Budapest's decisions unacceptable.
Sofia's acting agriculture minister, Yavor Gechev, says Bulgaria wants to ban imports of Ukrainian grain to protect its local interests. The statement came after Poland and Hungary announced a ban on imports of grain and other food products from Ukraine to protect their agricultural sector.
Brussels, on the other hand, finds Poland and Hungary's decision unacceptable, reports the BBC. The European Commission said trade policy is "the exclusive competence of the European Union" and unilateral decisions cannot be tolerated, a spokesperson for the European institution said on Sunday.
Meanwhile, Ukrainian Minister for Agriculture and Food Policy Mykola Solskyi announced that he would travel to Poland today to meet his counterpart, Robert Telus.
According to the official, the Ukrainian government hopes "to resolve this week" the issue of suspending exports of agricultural products to Poland, after the government in Warsaw announced a halt to purchases of Ukrainian grain and other goods from the country.
In addition to meetings in Poland, talks are scheduled with Romania and Slovakia.
Poland and Hungary imposed an embargo on imports of Ukrainian agricultural products on 15 April, citing the need to protect their farmers from falling prices. Slovakia banned the sale of Ukrainian grain on its territory a few days earlier, but did not ban its transit.
