Belarus eases food embargo amidst worsening hunger crisis
Alexander Lukashenko must face the problem of hunger in Belarus. His country is lacking basic vegetables, particularly potatoes. The Belarusian leader is trying to address the issue, which he blames on Russia.
The Belarusian authorities recently made a surprising decision by easing the food embargo. The list includes so-called unfriendly countries, which refers to Western European nations.
Officially, Belarusians claim this is proof of "openness" and a desire to improve neighbourhood relations. Unofficially, the lifting of the ban on importing onions, potatoes, and cabbage is driven by the deepening economic crisis and hunger issues in the country.
Journalists from "The Moscow Times" (quoted by the gazeta.pl service) claim that Lukashenko is partly blaming Vladimir Putin for the crisis. The Belarusian leader reportedly told the Kremlin chief that "Belarus sold everything to Russia, while Belarusians complain about the low quality and lack of vegetables in stores."
This information was confirmed in a conversation with o2.pl by Alexander Azarau, head of the Belarusian anti-government organization BYPOL.
Lukashenko wants to end the Russia-Ukraine war as soon as possible. The sanctions are hitting him hard. We have information that Belarus lacks basic food products. This is what he wants. Involvement in this war bothers him. He would like to trade with the European Union again, says the Belarusian oppositionist.
A serious hunger crisis also exists in Russia. Data from the Federal State Statistics Service cited by gazeta.pl indicate that the year-on-year price increase for potatoes is 166 percent. Russian authorities have banned potato exports and plan to control the prices of these vegetables.
