August 28, Pozirk. The government has expanded the list of imports banned from Belarus as part of its countersanctions.
Prime Minister Raman Hałoŭčanka has signed a directive to that effect, the Council of Ministers’ press office reported.
Officials added low-density polyethylene, tire products, OSB boards, plywood, joinery and carpentry, sanitary and hygiene products, paper and cardboard, rags, and fiberglass, including glass wool, to the list of banned imports from “unfriendly countries.”
Additionally, it banned the import of bags and suitcases, wallpaper, refrigerators, washing machines, diapers, and some other products from Poland, the Czech Republic, Lithuania, Latvia and Estonia.
The directive described the move as a “countermeasure” to the European Union’s July 1 decision to expand sanctions against Belarus.
The ban will come into force on October 15.
Belarus last expanded the list of banned imports from “unfriendly countries” on August 8 by adding margarine, pasta, cement and other goods.
Then, it also cited retaliation against the July 1 sanctions. That ban will come into force on August 31.
The Belarusian government considers the EU countries, the USA, Albania, the United Kingdom, Iceland, Canada, Liechtenstein, Norway, North Macedonia, Serbia, Montenegro and Switzerland unfriendly countries.
These countries imposed or joined the sanctions imposed in connection with alleged fraud during the 2020 presidential election and the forced landing of an Irish airliner at the Minsk airport.
On June 29, the Council of the European Union adopted new economic restrictions against Belarus, punishing Alaksandar Łukašenka’s support of the Russian war against Ukraine.
The adopted measures mirror restrictions against Russia, aiming to stop sanctions circumvention caused by the high degree of integration between both economies, the EU noted.
