On 13 March, President Edgars Rinkēvičs held a meeting with Minister of Agriculture Armands Krauze at the Riga Castle. During the meeting, various topics were discussed, including the public strike demands of farmers and the forestry sector, the import ban on agricultural and food products from Russia and Belarus, and the current status of negotiations between agriculture ministers at the European Union (EU) level.
The President of Latvia expressed appreciation for the prompt adoption of the ban on imports of agricultural and feed products from Russia and Belarus by the Ministry of Agriculture and other involved institutions. At the same time, President Rinkēvičs highlighted the significance of keeping an updated list of prohibited agricultural and feed products and promoting timely updates when required. The President stressed the importance of ongoing efforts at both regional and EU levels to encourage partners to follow Latvia's lead, thus ensuring a more effective implementation of sanctions.
During the meeting, E. Rinkēvičs was informed about the Minister of Agriculture's proposals for compromise solutions to meet the demands of the agriculture and forestry sector. "There is no doubt that it is important to address climate change both locally and globally, and all possible measures should be taken to mitigate and adapt to its effects. At the same time, a reasonable equilibrium must be reached to attain environmental and climate objectives and advancing economic pursuits in rural areas to guarantee regional growth and the welfare of the population," said the President of Latvia.
Additionally, President Rinkēvičs brought to the Minister's notice his meeting with farmers in the Bauska municipality during his recent regional visit.
