OREANDA-NEWS  Exports to Russia have turned into a nightmare for Turkish businessmen due to sanctions, they face direct threats from Western officials, Turkish economic commentator Mustafa Recep Ercin told RIA Novosti.

In an interview with Edaily in May, the Russian ambassador to Turkey stated that the United States and the EU intimidate Turkish financial institutions with punishments in case of cooperation with Russia. According to the diplomat, as a result, the volume of banking transactions is greatly reduced, importers cannot transfer funds for purchased products, and exporters, accordingly, do not receive them. According to him, according to the Turkish Institute of Statistics, exports to Russia decreased by 32% in the first quarter compared to the same period last year.

"Unfortunately, the sanctions have a negative impact not only on Russia, but also on Turkey. Exports to Russia are turning into a nightmare in almost all other industries except food. Turkish merchants exporting goods from Russia and shipping goods to Russia face a variety of problems, from freezing bank accounts to threats from Western officials. This leads to the fact that exports to Russia are declining. In fact, according to the Turkish Assembly of Exporters, exports to Russia have halved in the first six months of the year," the source said.

According to him, if we talk about sectors, then all sectors, except food, fresh vegetables and fruits, have been very badly affected by the embargo against Russia, especially the sector of leather and leather products, which is "practically zeroed out."