Russia considers new food-inspired patriotic public holiday

Nothing buoys national pride quite like not being able to buy proper parmesan. Such has the patriotic mood lifted in Russia since its embargo on western food imports began in 2014, that the Russian Culture Ministry has voiced support for plans to establish a new public holiday in honour of the food ban.

The proposed “day of national patriotism” would fall on 6 August, the anniversary of that date in 2014 when President Vladimir Putin signed into law a ban on western food imports. The holiday was first suggested by the Avanti Association of Entrepreneurs for the Development of Patriotic Business.

While First Deputy Culture Minister Vladimir Aristarkhov told Russia’s State Duma (parliament) that the plans “deserved attention”, he warned that the additional public holiday might not be economically feasible.

Russia’s food embargo covers imports from the United States, European Union, Australia, Canada and Norway, and is expected to last at least until the end of the year. The ban sparked a flurry of food-related business initiatives, including “anti-sanction” food stores, patriotic fast food outlets and a mozzarella factory run by a group of enterprising monks.

Source: The Moscow Times