MOSCOW, March 1. /TASS/. Athens asks Russia to partially lift its ban on imports of Greek strawberry, oranges and peaches, Alexei Alexeyenko, an aide to the chief of Russia’s veterinary and phytosantitary watchdog (Rosselkhoznadzor), told TASS on Sunday after his meeting with Greek Deputy Minister of Agriculture Panagiotis Sgouridis.
"Later, a Greek lawmaker addressed us with the same request. They ask to lift the ban on one or two items," he said.
According to Alexeyenko, Greece is worried most of all about the harvest of peaches, since this sector was created in Greece especially for the Russian market. Athens also asks to lift the ban on imports of strawberries, oranges and kiwifruit.
So far, it was just an oral request, he said, adding that a written request was to reach Moscow through diplomatic channels in a couple of days.
The issue of lifting the food ban in respect of Greece was raised by the Russian minister of agriculture in June. However this possibility was looked at only in case Greece quitted the European Union.
On August 7, 2014, Russia imposed a package of measures to respond to economic sanction from the United States, Australia, Canada, the European Union and Norway. Thus, Russia banned for a term of one year the imports of fruit, vegetables, milk and dairy products from these countries. Some types of ready-to-eat meat and fish products /with the exception of sausages/ have not fallen under the ban.