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Latvian PM, sanitary watchdog differ over sprat conflict with Russia

RIGA, January 15 (Itar-Tass) - Russian veterinary service Rosselkhoznadzor’s complaints about Latvian sprats are part of a purposeful campaign against the Baltic countries, and Latvia would discuss the situation with Russian agricultural minister Nikolai Fyodorov, Latvian Prime Minister Valdis Dombrovskis said Wednesday on the local TV channel LNT.

“Given that Russia earlier found violations of quality standards in products of other Baltic companies, these actions may be part of a campaign,” Dombrovskis said. Speaking of SIA Randa’s products under consideration, he noted the Latvian veterinary service revealed no violations and doubted any would be found in further checks.

Meanwhile, the head of the Latvian Food and Veterinary Service, Maris Balodis, said in an interview Tuesday that Rosselkhoznadzor’s claims were not politically motivated and thus far concerned only one company and one consignment of goods. The export of the company’s products was not suspended, he added.

According to Balodis, the Latvian food authority will check the quality of fish products of the company SIA Randa, whose sprats, according to Rosselkhoznadzor, contained a dangerous carcinogen, benzpyrene. He added such intense laboratory inspections were a normal procedure.

Another Russian authority, customers rights watchdog Rospotrebnadzor, has stated that canned fish from the Latvian producer Kolumbija Ltd breached customer rights and sanitary welfare legislation, in particular by organoleptic properties, fat content and energy value; 24,000 cans of fish bearing the trademark Libava produced by Kolumbija Ltd have been temporarily banned from the shelves at the Perekryostok and Auchan retailers in Moscow and the Moscow Region.

The Latvian Food and Sanitary Service has announced checks of the companies in question.

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israeli Permanent Representative Gilad Erdan was to address the council after Palestinian envoy Riyad Mansour

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Moscow-based embassies of NATO countries helped anti-government groups, Lavrov says

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Maria Zakharova described France’s decision to place its aircraft carrier, the Charles de Gaulle, directly under NATO control as a symbolic move marking the end of "the era of an independent Paris in the international arena"

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Israeli sources also said that they did not understand why the Pentagon had leaked information about Israel's involvement in the attack to the media

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Viktor Orban believes the first phase of the conflict, which included proposals on sending troops to Ukraine, is over

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Zelensky's formula should be put aside for Ukraine talks, Lavrov says

"One should clearly support the need to seek solutions that take into account the balance of security interests and ensure the indivisibility of security," the top Russian diplomat underlined

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