“Both parties are working to agree on a date for the meeting and its concept. Once it is agreed on, Russia’s experts are expected to visit Lithuania,” Prime Minister Algirdas Butkevičius said in a press release issued after Tuesday meeting with the executives of Rokiškio Sūris, Žemaitijos Pienas, and Pieno Žvaigždės.
He added that the results could hopefully be achieved on a bilateral level. The European Union’s (EU) institutions are considering a possibility to turn to the World Trade Organization (WTO), yet the procedures in the WTO would last long, therefore the government was looking for ways to obtain positive results within a shorter period of time.
Rosselkhozdnazor, Russia’s veterinary and phytosanitary service, planned to carry out an audit, Jonas Milius, the head of the Lithuanian Food and Veterinary Service, told BNS adding that the audit had not been planned in advance and its precise date was unknown.
“Rosselkhozdnazor is expected to send the auditors. This service has recently carried out an audit in Lithuania and we have already had an opportunity to work with them,” Milius said.
He added that the representatives of Rospotrebnadzor, the consumer rights protection watchdog which had suspended Russia’s imports of Lithuanian dairy products, were also expected to come to Lithuania on what was seen as a friendly visit.
Russia banned imports of Lithuanian dairy products last week citing lack of product safety. However, Lithuania and the EU officials have slammed the ban as a politically motivated measure.
