Croatian Prime Minister Andrej Plenković did not rule out a ban on the import of Ukrainian grain, following the example of Poland, Hungary and Slovakia, according to Politico.
Croatia is a transit country for Kyiv’s agricultural products, nothing more.
The prime minister stated that Croatia would not import a huge amount of Ukrainian grain, which is cheaper than Croatian one. He said that such a move would put local farmers at risk.
On Monday, Kyiv filed a lawsuit against three European Union countries at the World Trade Organisation over their refusal to lift a ban on Ukrainian agricultural products.
Poland, Hungary and Slovakia have imposed unilateral bans to protect their domestic agricultural industries, challenging the European Commission. Last Friday, it authorised the sale of Ukrainian grain through the EU.
Plenković did not answer whether Croatia would impose a similar ban. However, Croatian ports are reportedly helping to ship Ukrainian grain to third countries.
Croatia has offered Ukraine to use its seaports for shipments. However, Kyiv’s access to the Black Sea is blocked by Russia due to the ongoing war.
The amount of grain exported through Croatian ports is unknown, but the route has already gained popularity, according to First Deputy Prime Minister of Ukraine Yulia Svyrydenko.
