The Russian government has announced that it will extend a ban on the imports of food from the EU, Australia, Canada, Norway and the US to include five additional countries. The countries hit by the ban's expansion are Albania, Montenegro, Liechtenstein, the Ukraine and Iceland.
Iceland hit by Russian counter sanctions
The ban was instituted in retaliation to sanctions imposed by the EU and the US against Russia, over its support of separatists in the Ukraine. The five countries had supported the sanctions against Russia.
Gunnar Bragi Sveinsson told the local news site visir.is that he was disappointed by the Russian decision, although it did not come as a surprise. Gunnar argued the Icelandic government had maintained a good relationship with Russian authorities. Still, the government of Iceland had not received any information on how the ban would be implemented, whether there were any exceptions to the ban or whether it was only temporary.
Fishing industry fears jobs will be lost
Iceland exports large amounts of fish products to Russia. Among the products exported to Russia are frozen mackerel, herring and capelin. Kolbeinn Árnason, the manager of Fisheries Iceland, a umbrella organization of firms in the fisheries sector, told the National Icelandic Broadcasting Service RÚV that 1,000 jobs and 30-35 billion ISK (270 million USD/240 million EUR) in export revenue were jeopardized by the decision.
Kolbeinn and Fisheries Iceland have pressured the government to find ways to improve its relationship with Russia. The chairman of the Social Democratic Alliance, one of the opposition parties, told RÚV that Iceland had no choice but to side with the international community and the European Union and support sanctions against Russia.
The Russian government has announced that it will extend a ban on the imports of food from the EU, Australia, Canada, Norway and the US to include five additional countries. The countries hit by the ban's expansion are Albania, Montenegro, Liechtenstein, the Ukraine and Iceland.
Iceland hit by Russian counter sanctions
The ban was instituted in retaliation to sanctions imposed by the EU and the US against Russia, over its support of separatists in the Ukraine. The five countries had supported the sanctions against Russia.
Gunnar Bragi Sveinsson told the local news site visir.is that he was disappointed by the Russian decision, although it did not come as a surprise. Gunnar argued the Icelandic government had maintained a good relationship with Russian authorities. Still, the government of Iceland had not received any information on how the ban would be implemented, whether there were any exceptions to the ban or whether it was only temporary.
Fishing industry fears jobs will be lost
Iceland exports large amounts of fish products to Russia. Among the products exported to Russia are frozen mackerel, herring and capelin. Kolbeinn Árnason, the manager of Fisheries Iceland, a umbrella organization of firms in the fisheries sector, told the National Icelandic Broadcasting Service RÚV that 1,000 jobs and 30-35 billion ISK (270 million USD/240 million EUR) in export revenue were jeopardized by the decision.
Kolbeinn and Fisheries Iceland have pressured the government to find ways to improve its relationship with Russia. The chairman of the Social Democratic Alliance, one of the opposition parties, told RÚV that Iceland had no choice but to side with the international community and the European Union and support sanctions against Russia.
