Belarus health ministry: First lab tests say Roshen products safe

Belarus continues taking samples of Roshen products, but first results of lab tests show that its confectionery complies with safety requirements, the chief sanitary doctor of the republic, Igor Gayevsky, said on Tuesday. “We continue testing Roshen products,” he said. “The first results we have received say they meet safety requirements,” he added. Several days ago, the Belarussian Ministry of Health made a statement, saying the republic will not allow re-exports of Roshen products to Russia via its territory. Belarus “has taken measures to prevent imports of Roshen confectionery to Russia via border checkpoints at the Belarusian section of the Customs Union customs border and re-export of confectionery produced at confectioneries of Roshen (Ukraine),” the ministry said. Roshen Corporation is the leading company in Ukraine and one of the key world producers. It incorporates four Ukrainian confectioneries (the Kiev, Vinnitsa, Mariupol and Kremenchug ones), the Lipetsk confectionery factory (Russia), the Klaipeda confectionery factory (Lithuania), Bonbonetti Choco Kft (Hungary), as well as the Bershadmoloko butter and milk plant. Roshen produces about 200 types of confectioneries. The total amount reaches 450,000 tonnes. Products are supplied to Russia, Kazakhstan, Belarus, Moldova, Central Asia, Germany, the United States, Israel, Lithuania and other states.