Updated 3:50 p.m. Moscow Time
MOSCOW, October 22 (RIA Novosti) – Russian agriculture watchdog Rosselkhoznadzor said Wednesday it may impose temporary restrictions on imports of meat from Montenegro due to the possible reexport of embargoed European goods.
Rosselkhoznadzor chief Sergei Dankvert said Montenegro enterprises reexported Dutch pork to Belarus, which has a common economic and customs space with Russia.
“That’s why we ended imports of cooked meat products from Montenegro, allowing only imports of half-carcasses,” he said. “If more violations follow, then we will end imports completely.”
Moscow allowed half-carcasses imports from Montenegro on October 13, but Russia’s agriculture watchdog have recorded several cases of reexport of EU goods since then, Aleksey Alekseenko, assistant of the Rosselkhoznadzor head elaborated.
"Apparently, some Montenegro companies perceived the permit as an opportunity to make money by delivering illegal products to us. The ban [on imports of meat] could be considered in the near future, and the decision depends on the response of the Montenegro veterinary service," he added.
In August, Russia implemented a one-year ban on certain food imports from the European Union member states and several other countries, which imposed economic sanctions against Moscow over its alleged negative role in the Ukrainian crisis. The list includes meat, poultry, fish, seafood, milk, dairy products, and fruit and vegetables.
