Ukraine, Bulgaria discuss possibility of resolving grain issue - MoE

According to Ukrinform, the press service of the Ministry of Economy reports that this follows an online meeting between First Vice Prime Minister of Ukraine and Minister of Economy Yulia Svyrydenko and Minister of Economy and Industry of Bulgaria Nikola Stoyanov.

"Preserving and continuing grain exports is a sensitive and important issue for Ukraine, as it is the main source of revenue for the country's budget. The Government of Ukraine aims to resolve the issue of a temporary ban on imports of Ukrainian grain to Bulgaria. We are engaged in a dialog with the Bulgarian side on the reasons and prospects for a positive resolution of this situation for both countries," Svyrydenko said.

Minister Nikola Stoyanov, in turn, expressed solidarity with Ukraine regarding the situation in which the country found itself due to Russia's full-scale invasion of Ukraine. At the same time, he said, the import of Ukrainian grain and food makes it difficult for local agricultural producers to sell their own products and they suffer losses. However, the ban does not apply to the transit of Ukrainian products through Bulgaria to the EU countries. He noted that Bulgaria is waiting for a decision that will ensure that Ukrainian products do not overload the local market and are exported to other countries.

The parties discussed important aspects of this issue, and the dialog is currently ongoing. Next week, consultations on this issue will be held at the level of the Council of the European Union and its working bodies.

As Ukrinform reported, the Bulgarian government on Wednesday, April 19, imposed a temporary ban on food imports from Ukraine, except for transit.