The Slovak government banned the import of grain and some other farm produce from Ukraine, but will keep borders open for transit to third markets, Agriculture Minister Samuel Vlcan said on Monday, as cited by the Reuters news agency.
Vlcan told reporters that the Slovak ban followed on from restrictive measures imposed by Poland at the weekend, according to Reuters.
"Poland has adopted very strict bans and we thus had to react to protect the Slovak market in those farm products and foods where we have self-sufficiency," he said, as quoted by Reuters.
"It is a measure for the protection of the Slovak agro-food sector and mainly the health of consumers," he added.
Slovakia said it would continue to allow transit of Ukrainian grain and other products under an EU initiative to help Ukraine export its production after the Russian invasion, Reuters reported.
Poland and Hungary announced bans on some imports from Ukraine on Saturday, according to news reports.
Polish government spokesman Piotr Müller said on Sunday that "the decision to ban imports, including transit, of agri-food products from Ukraine has been taken due to the lack of other ways to ensure food security and stabilise the situation on the market."
At the end of last month, Poland and four other EU countries sent a joint letter to the European Commission, demanding restrictions on Ukrainian grain imports.
Monday is day 418 of Russia’s war on Ukraine.
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Source: IAR, PAP, Reuters, gospodarka.dziennik.pl