Vlcan: Gov't Banned Import of Ukrainian Grain, Not Transit

Bratislava, April 17 (TASR) - At its online meeting on Monday, the government approved a ban on importing Ukrainian grain and some agricultural commodities from Ukraine but not their transit through Slovakia, interim Agriculture Minister Samuel Vlcan told a briefing following the government meeting on Monday. According to the government resolution, the ban is to be effective as of April 19. "Today, I submitted to the government and the government approved a proposal to ban the importing of selected agricultural products and foodstuffs from Ukraine and originating from Ukraine. At the same time, I submitted to the government and the government approved the introduction of a special transit regime for shipments of agricultural products and foodstuffs from Ukraine and originating from Ukraine," added the agriculture minister. According to him, this is a measure to protect the Slovak agriculture-food sector and especially the health of consumers. "Poland has applied very strict bans and we had to react in order to protect the Slovak market in those agricultural and food products, where we have our own self-sufficiency ensured," noted Vlcan, adding that the lists were determined mainly with regard to the health safety of the production. "With today's resolution, the government isn't introducing a ban on transit through solidarity corridors to ports so that production from Ukraine intended for third markets outside the EU can continue," added Vlcan. am/mcs