The Parliament of Latvia on Thursday banned the import of food, fish products and feed from Russia and Belarus, including through third countries, but did not stop the transit of these goods through its territory, becoming the first EU country to take such a measure, reports Kyiv Independent and AFP .

Grain composition Photo: Yefrem Lukatsky / AP / Profimedia

The amendment to the Latvian Agriculture Act, which has yet to be signed by President Edgars Rinkevičs, will be in effect until July 2025, when it can be extended for further years if necessary.

The issue was raised by farmers earlier this month during a demonstration in which 2,000 tractors entered 16 cities across the country as farmers demanded a halt to imports of “bloody grain” from Russia.

“We are moving quickly to implement the import ban, but the transportation of grain from Russia and Belarus through our seaports remains a more sensitive issue,” said Armands Krause, Latvia’s agriculture minister.

“Latvia can ban its own imports from Russia, but only the EU can agree on coordinated actions when it comes to banning the transit of Russian products through the EU,” he said.

Although Latvia is a net grain producer with an annual export surplus of three million tonnes, it still imported 425,000 tonnes of Russian grain last year, up 60% from 2022, according to customs officials.

Latvia, which is part of the European Union and NATO, is a faithful ally of Ukraine.

On January 24, Latvian President Edgars Rinkevičs declared that he would support the ban on the import of Russian grain “for both political and economic reasons.”

Rinkevichs argued that Russian grain imports support the Russian economy and thus its military, and that what is labeled as Russian grain may actually be Ukrainian grain stolen from Russian-occupied territories.

“Committing international crimes with impunity and profiting from them contradicts society’s morals, ethical standards and our value system. Consumption of products of Russian origin, thus supporting the criminal regime directly or indirectly, is incompatible with the morals of society,” Latvian. , – said member of parliament Janis Reirs.