Latvia: Coalition agrees to ban imports of Russian, Belarusian grain

Latvia’s ruling coalition has agreed to ban imports of Russian and Belarusian grain, BNS reports. The coalition expects the parliament, the Saeima, to pass a bill on the ban in February 2024. Agriculture Minister Armands Krauze said that companies using Russian grain would be ineligible for state support. Also, the Food and Veterinary Service (PVD)…

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Latvia: Port cargo turnover down almost 20% in 2023: ministry

The cargo turnover of Latvian ports totalled 38.655mn tonnes in 2023, which was down 19.6% from 48.078mn tonnes in 2022, according to data from the Ministry of Transport, Baltic News Network reports. The ministry attributed the decline to changes in the geopolitical situation, particularly the sanctions against Russia. The volume of bulk cargo handled at…

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Baltic: Polish, Baltic presidents discuss Ukrainian grain dispute

The presidents of the Baltic States and Poland met on the sidelines of the UN General Assembly in New York to discuss the transport of Ukrainian grain through EU ports, ERR reports. Estonian President Alar Karis noted that shipping Ukrainian grain via Baltic ports required cooperation with Poland. Viktorija Cmilyte-Nielsen, speaker of the Lithuanian parliament,…

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Baltic: No EU subsidies for Ukrainian grain transport: EU Commissioner

The European Commission (EC) is not considering paying subsidies to cover the cost of transporting Ukrainian grain through Baltic ports, EC Vice-President Valdis Dombrovskis stated. Speaking in an interview with BNS, Dombrovskis said that the EC may provide financing for removing administrative or infrastructure bottlenecks, however. Also, the EC supported Lithuania’s proposal to move customs,…

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Lithuania: Ministers urge EU to help Ukraine ship more grain via Baltics

Lithuania’s Foreign Minister Gabrielius Landsbergis, Transport Minister Marius Skuodis, and Agriculture Minister Kestutis Navickas have sent a joint letter to the European Commission, in which they call for helping Ukraine export more grain via the Baltic States, BNS reports. The ministers argued that Baltic ports, railways, and roads could serve as a viable alternative route…

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