But it will be a while before the measures are actually applied because the nation is yet to see a law
approved that introduces the very notion of sanctions to legislation. The law
was also submitted to the parliament on Aug. 8, and Yatseniuk said he
expects it to come up for vote in parliament on Aug. 12.
It’s also unclear what names will be on
this list, which is subject for approval by the National Security and
Defense Council. Yatseniuk said that the law will be mostly targeting
Russian people and firms in response to Russia’s aggression against
Ukraine.
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When deciding on sanctions the
government consulted and coordinated with western partners, Yatseniuk
said.
“This is the first
time in Ukraine’s history when we as a country apply sanctions to
foreign individuals, who commit crimes against our country and our
citizens,” Yatseniuk told the press briefing.
A Cabinet member who
spoke on condition of anonymity because he is not authorized to
comment on the issue, said that the list of companies and individuals
mirrors that of the European Union, United States and other
countries, but there is “potential for expansion.”
During the briefing,
Yatseniuk hinted at sanctions against the arms makers in Russia,
though. ‘With the new decision initiated by the government of
Ukraine, additional measures will be introduced, which will not allow
the country-aggressor, and we’re talking about the Russian
Federation, to modernize its armed forces,” he said.
He also said “all
types of transit” could be hit, Reuters reported. Asked
if gas supplies across Ukraine would be interrupted, he said: “I
spoke about all the measures which could be included in the
(proposed) law. This includes the possible halting of all types of
transit, from air flights to transit of resources.”
Previously, the government also talked about sanctioning the pharmaceutical industry through canceling licenses for most of Russian drugs.
Yatseniuk also said that the new law will introduce 26 types of sanctions. For example, Ukraine could deny visas to individuals,
freeze assets, ban business activity, ban transit of resources,
flights and transportation through its territory, ban in access to
country’s territory for ships or planes, and ban media activity of
the sanctioned entities on country’s territory. It could also stop
functioning of international agreements, trade deals and cultural
cooperation.
Individual decisions will be
taken by the National Security and Defense Council based on
proposals by the government, the president, State Security Service or
the National Bank.
At the same time, the government
proposed to amend the Criminal Code to make it easier to apply
sanctions to those who are wanted. If the amendments are approved by
the parliament, courts will be able to order confiscation of assets
of those who are on the run.
This measure is designed to assist the
government in dealing with the property of former officials, like President Viktor Yanukovych, who fled the country in
the wake of EuroMaidan last winter. Ukraine’s security services have
accused some of his inner circle of financing separatists in the east.
“The Ukrainian
state will be finding all over the world the property of banks,
financial companies, enterprises and personal property of people, who
supported annexation of Crimea and now are supporting and financing
Russian terrorists on territory of Ukraine,” Yatseniuk said.
Kyiv Post staff
writer Oksana Grytsenko can be reached at grytsenko@kyivpost.com
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