Latvia's military reported receiving tea from Russia and salt from Belarus

Latvian television reported this, Delfi reports.

It is noted that the NBS orders food through the state logistics and procurement center. In October 2023, the Latvian army received 2.6 kg of Russian tea, and in January of this year, the Armed Forces received seven kilograms of salt produced in Belarus.

Kaspars Zdanovskis, Deputy Chief of the Joint Staff, explained that the contracts do not specifically state that these products cannot be delivered from Russia and Belarus, but in working with merchants, they managed to ensure that these products did not reach the canteens of the Armed Forces.

Zdanovskis is considering including such a clause in the contract in the future but added that food products are not subject to sanctions.

According to him, the decision to terminate cooperation with Lanekss should be made by the court.

Meanwhile, Defense Minister Andris Spruds emphasized that the NBS should not have any Russian or Belarusian goods.

"The goods are controlled and will be controlled, and suppliers need to consider the legal consequences for supplying goods of inappropriate origin," Spruds emphasized.

The State Agency for Regional Development oversees the Electronic Procurement System and is currently assessing with lawyers whether measures can be taken against a particular merchant. For now, the distribution of these products in the public and municipal procurement system has been suspended.

At the same time, when asked how to solve the problem and whether it is possible to ban the import of such goods into Latvia, Prime Minister Evika Siliņa said that this should be a joint decision of the European Union.