MINSK, 3 December (BelTA) – Bona fide Ukrainian manufacturers calmly respond to the sanitary and hygienic evaluation of their products, which are imported to Belarus, BelTA learned from Igor Gayevsky, Belarusian Deputy Healthcare Minister, Chief State Sanitary Inspector, on 3 December.
Igor Gayevsky said: “For instance, the top brands — Roshen, Obolon — and other Ukrainian confectioners and brewers have responded normally. No scandals or complaints. They've assessed the situation and understand everything. They understand that even their brands may be exploited to sell some unknown merchandise. Those, who do business legally, say they are better off after the evaluation procedures were introduced.”
The official pointed out that not only Ukrainian products, but anything imported from outside the Eurasian Economic Union is subjected to the sanitary and hygienic evaluation. “We are talking about all the imports except for the merchandise that comes from the Eurasian Economic Union member states. Relations with them are different. Nobody says that we employ fewer inspectors. Everything is normal and transparent,” noted the Chief State Sanitary Inspector.
The official also said that, for example, sometimes inspection teams come from Russia to Belarus and vice versa several times per month. “We have defined rules of the game and play accordingly,” the Belarusian Deputy Healthcare Minister stressed. Speaking about the products originating from outside the Eurasian Economic Union, the official added: “Those products may be of good quality. But we cannot rest assured that the brand is what it says it is instead of something shoddy.”
The evaluation procedures are meant to protect citizens from poor quality products. They also force suppliers to import genuine quality merchandise to Belarus.
Earlier BelTA quoted Dmitry Mironchik, Head of the Information Office, Press Secretary of the Belarusian Ministry of Foreign Affairs, as saying that there is no discrimination in the sanitary and hygienic evaluation of Ukrainian products. “The regulation applies to manufacturers from all countries, except for those from the Eurasian Economic Union.” Belarus has common standards with the European Union member states and a smoothly operating system to enforce those standards.
