The Baltic countries and Poland propose to simplify the introduction of sanctions against relatives of Russian oligarchs
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The Baltic states and Poland want to ease sanctions against family members and entourages of Russia’s richest people, but face resistance from Hungary.
As “European Truth” reports, Politico writes about this with reference to EU diplomats.
Under current rules, the EU can freeze assets and impose visa bans on “leading businessmen working in Russia.”
Lithuania, Latvia, Estonia and Poland propose to expand this definition to include “their immediate relatives or other natural persons who benefit from them”.
The EU has imposed sanctions against more than 1,400 people in connection with Russia’s actions in Ukraine, many of whom are Russian oligarchs. Another 96 people may be added to the next package of EU sanctions, according to draft documents that the publication has seen.
Including family members of oligarchs and other oligarch-related individuals would allow sanctions to be imposed on thousands of people without having to prove that they are directly involved in the war in Ukraine or act in the economic interests of the Russian state.
This could, for example, concern the former the wife of the President of Russia Lyudmila Ocheretnayawhose daughters were sanctioned, but not herself, and other members of the circle of oligarchs or politicians.
According to one of the diplomats, although some countries had doubts, legal experts are working on the issue.
However, at a meeting on Tuesday where EU ambassadors discussed the bloc’s next round of sanctions, Hungary resisted such plans, diplomats said. Budapest has argued that it is not part of the 10th package of sanctions, one of the diplomats said. Hungary has long been skeptical of including too many names on the list.
According to the two diplomats, Hungary also insisted on the exclusion of four individuals from the already existing sanctions list. The names of these people are not disclosed.
The demand is fueling tensions and is likely to be the subject of another heated debate when EU ambassadors meet on Wednesday. During this meeting, they will discuss not only the new package of sanctions against Russia, but also the so-called transfer of more than 1,400 names already on the list to keep them under sanctions.
This is due to the fact that the regime is subject to a six-month review, which until now has been more or less formal. Hungary is now using the review as leverage, insisting that four specific individuals must be removed from the EU’s existing sanctions list before it agrees to extend the regime.
If Hungary blocks the transfer and refuses to compromise, all 1,400 people will be removed from the list, the two diplomats warned.
One of the diplomats did not hide his disappointment: “The fact that Hungary is ready to take such a risk shows its disdain for unity and European values.”
It will be recalled that the administration of US President Joe Biden this week has introduce new sanctions against about 200 Russian individuals and legal entities as part of increasing pressure on Russia due to its full-scale invasion of Ukraine.
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