Romania's prime minister Marcel Ciolacu announced on September 18 that the government is ready to pass a joint order of the ministers of agriculture and economy for the 30-day extension of the embargo on grain imports from Ukraine. But this order will not be given until there is communication with the prime minister of Ukraine.

Ciolacu said that at the moment, there is no request from Ukraine for export, and he "guaranteed" that "not a single gram of grain will be imported" into Romania, G4media.ro reported.

Poland, Hungary and Slovakia have announced that they will impose their own bans on Ukrainian grain following the Commission's decision to end restrictions at the EU level. Bulgaria said that it accepts Ukrainian grain because the domestic market needs it.

Brussels decided on Friday to end the temporary ban on the sale of Ukrainian grain to neighbouring Poland, Hungary, Slovakia, Romania and Bulgaria. The ban was intended to protect farmers and allow markets to adjust to the influx of products from Ukraine following Russia's blockade of Ukrainian Black Sea ports.

In the past, Kyiv has threatened to sue the EU if it does not drop the ban.

iulian@romania-insider.com

(Photo source: Denys Kovtun/Dreamstime.com)