Belarus is set to impose a six-month import ban on certain goods from EU countries, in retaliation for the sanctions Brussels imposed last week against the regime of President Lukashenko.
The import restrictions apply to countries "that pursue a discriminatory policy and carry out unfriendly actions against our country," according to the news agency Belta and the press service of the Belarusian government.
The import restrictions will affect the European Union, the United States, Canada, Norway, Albania, Iceland, North Macedonia, the United Kingdom, Montenegro, and Switzerland.
Goods subject to the embargo include cattle and poultry, pork, sausages, milk and dairy products, vegetables, fruit, nuts, confectionery, salt, and "other food products."
The press service of the Belarusian government emphasized that the import ban does not apply to goods imported by Belarusians for personal consumption, nor to goods intended for baby food. Several other essential imported products, not specified, will also be exempt.
Earlier this month, the European Union introduced a fifth package of sanctions against Belarus due to human smuggling involving migrants into EU countries. These sanctions primarily target the aviation, tourism, chemical, and other industries, as well as security officials and individuals within the circle of President Alexander Lukashenko.