Hungary bans imports of agricultural products from Ukraine – Magyar

He wrote this on the social media platform X, according to Ukrinform.

"The government withdraws Hungary's intention to leave the International Criminal Court and bans the import of agricultural products from Ukraine," Magyar wrote.

The news outlet Hungary Today noted that a debate has emerged within Hungarian agricultural policy regarding the legal framework for import restrictions on Ukrainian agricultural products.

In particular, Agriculture and Food Economy Minister Szabolcs Bona wrote on social media that the previous government had left behind legal uncertainty.

According to him, the import restrictions adopted under the Fidesz government had been tied to the special provisions of the national state of emergency. When that state of emergency ended, the restrictions were not automatically enshrined in law, which the minister criticized as a planning shortcoming.

Bona said his ministry would prepare new legislation to restore legal certainty regarding the protection of the Hungarian market and domestic producers.

The measures will apply to meat products – including beef, pork, lamb, goat meat, and poultry – as well as frozen vegetables and grain products.

On May 14, Magyar announced the cancellation of the state of emergency introduced during the tenure of former Prime Minister Viktor Orban.

Hungary first introduced a ban on imports of Ukrainian agricultural products in April 2023.

After the start of Russia's full-scale war against Ukraine, the European Union created "solidarity lanes" on borders with Ukraine in response to Russia's blockade of Ukrainian Black Sea ports, through which Ukrainian grain had been exported to global markets before the war.

Several countries, including Hungary, asked the European Commission to introduce measures limiting agricultural imports from Ukraine, arguing that the large inflow of grain and food products from Ukraine had driven down prices and harmed local farmers.