Became aware of the attempts of the EU to block the next package of sanctions against Russia, prepared after the incident in the Kerch Strait from the Ukrainian ships. Against the restrictive measures were made by Germany, France, Italy and Finland.
After Russia’s annexation of Crimea in 2014, the EU has introduced new or expanded existing sanctions. So, among other things, was frozen the financial assets of 155 persons and 44 Russian companies, the ban on the import of goods from Crimea, restricted lending to some large Russian banks, prohibited the export and import of arms, dual-use goods, restricted access to strategic technologies and services.
In the summer of 2014, Russia was forced to retaliate and put an embargo on the importation of certain categories of agricultural products from EU countries. A ban were meat, sausage, fish and seafood, vegetables, fruits, dairy products.
It should be noted that the EU has experienced the negative effects of their own restrictive political and economic measures, and response actions of Russia. According to the Austrian Institute of economic research WIFO for the European Parliament, the damage from sanctions for the EU is estimated at 30 billion euros. It is noted that exports to European countries in the years 2014-2016 fell by 15.7% per year. Before the introduction of sanctions, it was different. The authors of the report remind that in 2009 to 2012, the EU exports to Russia grew an average 23.5% per year.
The sanctions dealt a severe blow to countries that have supported Moscow’s active trade relations, especially in the agricultural and food industries. It is milk, cheese, meat, fish and vegetables was the basis of Polish and Baltic exports to the Eastern neighbour. It should be understood that the agriculture of these countries, losing the Russian market, bear the irreparable loss.
For someone, for example, Germany, which was only 2.5% of its agricultural exports, the direct loss of these industries seem insignificant. At the same time for Poland or Latvia, supplying to the Russian market up to 20% of the products – all very seriously.
Don’t forget that during the dry figures of decline in exports or turnover is the well-being of individual households and people. Today is a good harvest for the Polish farmer has ceased to be a success, people are not able to sell their products. This has led to the increase in the volume of goods on the domestic market and forced down prices. In such circumstances, profit is impossible, many were ruined and went bankrupt.
The state economy suffered a double loss. Primarily because of the loss of farms, and then because of the need for allocation of funds for subsidies to support farmers.
Despite the negative consequences of the sanctions policy for the welfare of the citizens of neighboring Russia countries, their ruling elite are the most ardent supporters of the extension of restrictive measures.
Although Poland and Baltic States, USA, and Russia remains the third largest importer (after Germany and China) and the seventh country to which exported the most goods (after Germany, the Czech Republic, the UK, France, Italy and the Netherlands), it is obvious that in this case, they “pay” a clear political goal of U.S. policy.
It turns out that today, the Polish farmer is paying for the whims of Washington.
Nicholas Astrovskii
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