Trade Ministry of Belarus: “Appetite for import of beer, mineral water and drinks is to be tamed”

• 27.11.2008, 14:02

The Trade Ministry confirms that the list of goods for which limitation of import would not allegedly influence the situation at the consumer’s market.

It has been told to journalists in Minsk by deputy Minister of Trade Mikhail Svyantsitski. As said by him, it doesn’t mean that veto on their importation would be imposed.

“It’s no secret this list has been defined,” he said, underlining that “there is no veto on importation”.

As the first deputy minister said, the list of goods is defined “which in the existing conditions with purchase crediting could be considered after all the others”. He explained that decision by a necessity “to offer for the consumer’s market primarily goods of critical import”.

M. Svyantsitski noted that “by this list we have directed importers and trade organisations to what they should focus their attention on in the part of import goods deliveries”.

The first deputy minister said that the list of goods, which limitation of import would not allegedly influence the situation at the consumer’s market, includes goods which according to the external trade statistics are imported into the country in insignificant quantities, and are manufactures by Belarusian firms in good supply. He explained that they include juices, beer, mineral water and drinks. “We do not fear that purchases of juices will be limited to some extent. Our native manufacturers produce a wide enough range of goods. As it stands, appetite for import of beer, mineral water and drinks can be tamed,” M. Svyantsitski said.

Answering journalists’ questions, he confirmed that if importers have their own means for buying goods, they can import them without limitations. “If they will have their own finances, for God’s sake!” he said, adding that “there won’t be penal sanctions”.