Romania, others, seek to extend Ukrainian grain ban until end of year
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Hungary, Poland, Bulgaria, Romania, and Slovakia agree to cooperate as a result of not being satisfied with the September 15 deadline for the ban on Ukrainian grain imports.
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A cargo ship seen making its way from a port in Odesa, Ukraine in an undated photo (AP)
Romanian Minister of Agriculture, Forests and Rural Development Florin Barbu announced on Wednesday that Romania and other nations are seeking an extension from the European Commission of the ban on imports of Ukrainian grain until the end of the year at least.
Barbu told journalists: "We are determined to support our farmers in the proper use of their products and the results of their work to ensure food security for us all ... We will go to the European Commission with a common position regarding the extension of preventive measures to a wider range of goods from Ukraine at least until the end of this year".
He continued that the regional situation impacts not only Ukrainian but also Romanian farmers, whose interests he is looking to protect.
Meanwhile, Hungarian Agriculture Minister Istvan Nagy stated on Wednesday that Hungary, Poland, Bulgaria, Romania, and Slovakia agreed to cooperate as a result of not being satisfied with the September 15 deadline for the ban on Ukrainian grain imports.
In a video on social media, Nagy said: "I would like to say with all possible certainty that Hungary will protect its farmers by all means if the European Union does not extend the deadline until at least December 31," adding that his country would use "all means to ensure that Hungarian farmers do not suffer further from very serious economic oppression."
Read next: EU should support farmers harmed by cheap Ukraine imports: Moldova
It is worth mentioning that the European Commission prohibited the sale of Ukrainian wheat, maize, rapeseed, and sunflower seed in Bulgaria, Hungary, Poland, Romania, and Slovakia until June 5 - later extended until September 15 - to "ease logistical bottlenecks," but their sale was allowed in other European markets.
Last June, Ukraine was given a temporary duty-free trade arrangement with the EU, after the EU launched efforts to facilitate the transit of Ukrainian grain to the world after the war in Ukraine.
However, cheap Ukrainian grain flooded EU markets and caused outrage among local farmers.
Poland is threatening to unilaterally ban importing grain from Ukraine if the European Commission does not extend a ban on Ukrainian grain, Polish Prime Minister Mateusz Morawiecki said on Wednesday following a meeting of agriculture ministers of countries bordering Ukraine.
Morawiecki said "Either the European Commission agrees to develop a general regulation that will extend this ban, or we will do it ourselves. We will be firm, we will be decisive and we will definitely defend a Polish farmer."
This comes after Russia announced its withdrawal from the Black Sea Grain Deal this week, and on the day it expired, adding that it will return to the agreement as soon as all parties involved take the previously agreed-upon procedures.
Moreover, the Russian Foreign Ministry's spokesperson Maria Zakharova, stated that Moscow has officially notified Turkey, Ukraine, and the UN that it will not renew the agreement.
