Polish-Russian meat war begins to encompass Lithuania

A spokesman for the European Commission told journalists that Russia said in a recent letter to Brussels that Poland made marked progress, although it still asked for another joint Russia-EU inspection before it lifted the embargo imposed in November 2005. Meanwhile, there were reports in Lithuanian media that Lithuanian farmers and the country's agriculture ministry, "Declared war on Polish beef". Imports of Polish beef to Lithuania rose sharply following the imposition of the embargo, depressing prices and adversely affecting local farmers. There is also concern that Polish meat is re-exported from Lithuania to Russia, which would give Moscow grounds to impose a ban on imports form Lithuania as well. (Rzeczpospolita) R.M.