Sweets with a photo of Tsar Peter the Great, tea called "Crown of the Russian Empire", vodka, and caviar. Among the biscuits and sweets produced in Ukraine, there is also a product originating in Russia. Latvian Television recorded such sights on the shelves of "Mego" and "Beta" stores, as well as in small shops in apartment blocks in Rēzekne.
"Because we need to sell something, we want to make money. We have a lot of supermarkets around here and we wanted to work," explained Jevgenija Cvetkova, owner of the small "Rudzupuķe" shop.
She stressed that the wholesale trade has increased the range of goods produced in Ukraine, which will eventually allow her to move away from Russian goods.
Mego stated that it started to review its product range immediately after Russia started the war in Ukraine.
"Contracts with suppliers from both countries were terminated and the company's procurement team is actively working to find substitutes for the remaining goods from these countries that our customers will be satisfied with," said Aleksandrs Afanasjevs, a spokesman for the Mego chain.
Statistics for the first half of this year show that overall food imports from Russia and Belarus are decreasing.
According to the PVD, the total volume of cereals, vegetables and other products has decreased since 2022. True, there are exceptions. Alcoholic and other beverages are imported less this year than last year, but more than in 2022.
"It is evidently important for both countries to maintain this flow of sugar and confectionery products, both on our market and in relation to the rest of the European Union. The volume of these shipments remains constant - there is no less, no more," said Iveta Šice-Trēde, Director of the Border Control Department of the PVD.
It is also known that 67 companies imported from Russia and 36 from Belarus in the first half of this year. The PVD did not disclose which ones, as not all companies clear the goods in Latvia, which means they are destined for sale in other European Union (EU) countries. The free market also allows goods produced in Russia to be imported into Latvia from another country.
Minister of Agriculture Armands Krauze (Greens and Farmers Union) says that the only solution is a joint EU decision. Imports should not be banned altogether, but limited by higher tariffs, as is already the case with agricultural products.
"The range of products must be extended. For example, fruit, vegetables, and fish products. I also agree that it could be extended to confectionery. If we were to expand these product groups - and this would be a decision of the European Union - then these products would not enter Latvia," the Minister said.
The Scandinavian countries have expressed their support for limiting imports of Russian fish products. The Minister of Agriculture said that it would be difficult to achieve this in the next six months, as Hungary, which is friendly to Russia, holds the Presidency of the Council of Europe.
