Baku, Azerbaijan, Feb. 6
By Elena Kosolapova - Trend:
Kazakhstan may ban or restrict import of some goods from Russia due to the inability of Kazakhstani producers to compete with cheap Russian goods, Russian newspaper "Kommersant" reported with reference to its sources in Russian Agriculture Ministry.
"Astana insists on a ban or restrictions on the supply of some products from Russia due to the threat to Kazakhstan's domestic market resulting from the devaluation of the ruble...the products include petroleum products, vehicles, building fittings, cable and wire products, glass containers, meat and eggs, pasta and confectionery products, flour and juice, "- the newspaper said, citing its sources.
Russian ruble devaluated greatly in 2014 and its rate to dollar and euro continues falling.
Kazakhstan has been in talks on the import restriction issue with Russia for a week now but has not provided "sufficient justification for the restrictions" yet.
On January 1, 2015 the treaty between the presidents of Russia, Kazakhstan and Belarus authorizing the Eurasian Economic Union went into effect. Armenia joined a day later, while Kyrgyzstan is set to join in May. Membership talks with Tajikistan are ongoing.
The idea of restoring customs posts between Kazakhstan and Russia has been proposed for a number of Kazakh entrepreneurs and economy experts.
The ruble demand breaks records in Kazakhstan, especially in its northern regions and largest cities - Almaty and Astana. In December 2014, the exchange offices sold the Russian currency in the amount of 88.2 billion tenge ($ 1 - 184.75 tenge). This is four-fold more than a year ago, Ranking.kz analytical service said earlier.
Kazakh citizens change exchange tenge to rubles and go for shopping tours to Russia, where the goods are much cheaper than in Kazakhstan due to ruble devaluation.
The Treaty of the Eurasian Economic Union does allow Kazakhstan to set customs posts in several cases. Member states have the right to impose restrictions in the mutual trade in goods if such restrictions are necessary for protection of the human life and health, public morality, law and order, environment, animals and plants, cultural values, fulfillment of the international obligations and ensuring the country's defense and security of the member states. However, such restrictions are not the means of unjustifiable discrimination or a disguised restriction of trade.
Edited by S.I.
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