According to Russia this summer will be the 'moment of truth' for Europe. The sanction will end again then. According to Russia there will be the opportunity to end the sanctions. The country is investing in its relationship with Belgium and Luxembourg. The French prime minister will talk to Moscow about lifting the boycott on French products. Turkey has the shadow of an extension to the boycott looming. The trade between Russia and Turkey was significantly lower last year. And Russia once again intercepted and destroyed illegal products.
Russia: "moment to end sanctions this summer"
According to the Russian minister of Foreign Affairs Sergey Lavrov Europe is approaching the "moment of truth" this summer. This summer a pack of sanctions will expire and Europe will have to decide to get rid of or keep the measures. It will become clear whether Europe will "honestly stick to the position that not only Russia, but also the Ukraine must meet the Minsk agreements, or whether Europe will be lead by an aggressive minority formed within the EU by a number of russophobe countries."
Russia investing in relationship with Belgium
The relationship between Russia and Belgium will continue to develop, despite the sanctions. Relations are even back at the level of before the sanctions, according to the Russian ambassador in Belgium recently. "I wouldn't say our relationship has worsened due to the sanctions. I think that our relations reached the same level last year as they were before the sanctions," the press office Tass quoted the ambassador. In Moscow preparations are being made for a discussion between Russia, Belgium and Luxembourg. A discussion being organised for the tenth time.
France in discussion on end of sanctions
The French prime minister will enter discussions with his Russian colleague on a possible end to the boycott on Saturday. This was reportedly said by the French minister of Agriculture, according to Russian media. The French sectors are being hit hard. The government is talking to large retailers in the country about how to soften the blow by buying more French products. Former prime minister Fillon called the sanctions a mistake and called for the measures to be lifted as soon as possible.
German politicians plead for sanctions to be lifted
After a professional conversation between vice chancellor Reinhold Mitterlehner and the Russian Prime Minister Dimitry Medvedev in Moscow about improving the bilateral economic trade relations, Horst Seehofer, the prime minister of the state Bavaria, has advocated an easing of the sanctions. The measures have had hugely negative effects on the Bavarian economy and agriculture, Seehofer warned.
France and Italy are also insisting on a gradual reduction of the sanctions within the EU. The French president Francois Hollande is under considerable pressure due to the French growers' relentless protests.
Possible extension of Turkey boycott
Over the next few weeks a decision will be made on a possible extension of the list of boycotted Turkish products, according to Alexei Alekseenko of the Russian phytosanitary service in the Russian media. The extra measures are being taken due to phytosanitary considerations. According to the Russian inspected too many products that don't meet Russia's demands have been found recently.
Possible extension of Turkey boycott
Over the next few weeks a decision will be made on a possible extension of the list of boycotted Turkish products, according to Alexei Alekseenko of the Russian phytosanitary service in the Russian media. The extra measures are being taken due to phytosanitary considerations. According to the Russian inspected too many products that don't meet Russia's demands have been found recently.
Billionaire predicts Russia's bankruptcy
The American billionaire and philanthropist George Soros recently predicted Russia's bankruptcy. The popularity of Putin is completely based on financial stability and a slow but certain rise in living standards. Due to the sanctions and the low oil price the government will fail in both areas, the billionaire predicted. If nothing changes, the regime will be bankrupt by next year, according to Soros.
Russia-Turkey trade -25%
The trade between Russia and Turkey decreased by almost 25 percent last year, the Russian ambassador in Turkey reported. The turnover in the trade was 30 billion dollars in 2014, last year it had dropped to 23 billion dollars. According to the Russian Ministry of Economics that figure is even lower and is between 18 and 19 billion dollars.
Turkish lemon growers not bothered by boycott
The Russian sanctions against Turkey don't include lemons. Combined with a lower harvest, this is resulting in high prices for the growers. The price at the plantations is at 1 to 1.50 lira, at the wholesale market at Adana the prices are at 1.40 to 2.30 lira. Last year the lemons raised 1 lira for the growers. The increase of 50 percent is good news. A lot of plantations were hit by frost, which made the supply around 30 percent lower.
Turkey shifts focus to Eastern Europe
Now that Russia has closed its borders, Turkey is shifting the focus for the export of fruit and vegetables to Eastern Europe. Turkish exporters have their eye on countries like the Ukraine, Belarus, Moldova, Romania, Bulgaria and Poland.
More fruit destroyed
The Russian inspection has intercepted various parties of illegal fruit in a short time. The newest catches publicised by Rosselkhoznadzor on its website: 1.8 tonnes of apples and 0.6 tonnes of pears from Moldova, 564 kilo of lemons from Spain and 4 tonnes of Polish mushrooms. The top fruit was sent back to the exporter in Kazakhstan, the lemons and the mushrooms were destroyed.