MINSK, May 23 (Xinhua) -- The decision to introduce increased tariffs on Belarusian imports of agricultural products and potash fertilizers to the EU is blatant trade protectionism and unfair competition, Ruslan Varankov, spokesperson for Belarusian Foreign Ministry, told local media on Friday.
Commenting on the decision of the European Parliament to introduce increased tariffs on Belarusian goods, the official said such decisions of the European Union punish only its own producers and consumers. These decisions add fuel to the fire of social discontent instead of fighting the impending economic recession and inflation against the background of a sharp increase in military spending, he added.
Despite this, Belarus, being guided by the principles of good-neighborliness and responsibility for global food security, remains open for equal and mutually beneficial cooperation, Varankov said.
The official said Belarus will continue to work on export diversification. Supply volumes are growing both to Russia and to countries in Asia, Africa and the Middle East, he added.
On May 22, the European Parliament approved protective duties on Russian and Belarusian potash fertilizers, despite concerns from large European agricultural producers about the negative impact of such a decision on the European market.
