December 8 (SeeNews) - Belarus said it will ban imports of food products from several countries in Southeastern Europe (SEE) that have joined the EU's sanctions on dozens of Belarusian officials and organisations.
The embargo will include imports of meat, salt, confectionery products, milk, nuts, fruits and live pigs from the European Union member states as well as non-EU Albania, Montenegro and North Macedonia, the Belarusian government said in a decision posted on its website on Tuesday.
The ban will be in force for six months starting January 1. In case of further negative dynamics of relations, the list of products banned for import can be expanded, the document reads.
Earlier this month, the EU imposed restrictions on Belarussian officials and companies, including flag carrier Belavia, tour operators and hotels that have allegedly helped incite and organise illegal border crossings of migrants through Belarus.
The Council of the EU said in June that EU membership candidates Albania, North Macedonia, Montenegro and Serbia joined the bloc's ban on the overflight of aircraft of Belarusian carriers. The EU adopted the ban on June 4 after a Ryanair flight from Athens to Vilnius was diverted by the Belarusian government to Minsk National Airport where two of its passengers, opposition activist and journalist Roman Protasevich and his girlfriend Sofia Sapega, were arrested by authorities.