A new department will appear in the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Czech Republic, which will deal with anti-Russian sanctions.
This was announced by the head of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs Jan Lipavsky on Czech Radio.
The recently adopted law in the Czech Republic, which by analogy with the USA is called the “Magnitsky Law”, will make it possible to cover with sanctions at the national level persons who are not included in the sanctions lists of the European Union.
Lipavskyi, who spoke on the air of “Czech Television”, did not specify when exactly the Czech Republic plans to introduce specific sanctions against Russian citizens and Russian companies. At the same time, he reminded that the lists compiled by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs will be approved by the government.
“The law is directed against persons who participate in the war that is unfolding today, but for some reason have not yet been included in the European sanctions lists,” Lipavskyi commented on the law.
#CZPRES se nemá za co stydět a doufám, že Švédové 🇸🇪 štafetu přeberou ve stejné intenzitě.
— Jan Lipavský (@JanLipavsky) December 18, 2022
Also, the new legislative norm will allow measures to be taken against organizations and regimes that violate human rights and use terrorist methods and cyber attacks.
The criterion for inclusion in the Czech list of sanctions will be not only the support of these individuals for the invasion of Ukraine. “Another parameter is, of course, the foreign policy interests of the Czech Republic and the issue of its security”, – the representative of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, David Konetsky, said earlier.
Jan Lypavskyi reported that the Czech Ministry of Foreign Affairs cooperates with other countries, including the United States, regarding the strengthening of sanctions.
The former Minister of Foreign Affairs Tomasz Petršicek, who took part in a TV interview, believes that it is necessary to take into account the real results that the introduction of Czech restrictions can give, and to consider whether it is worth focusing more on the strengthening of European-wide sanctions.
Yan Lipavsky, responding to this remark, specified that the Czech Republic, in any case, will first offer its list to Brussels.
At the same time, both Lipavsky and Petršyček believe that the Czech Republic, as the head of the Council of the European Union, has done its best to strengthen European sanctions against Russia.
Tomáš Petršyček noted that in this segment it is possible, for example, to more carefully monitor export deliveries to Russia through third countries.
What preceded this?
On December 16, the European Union adopted the ninth package of sanctions against Russia, which, in particular, imposes a complete ban on operations with the All-Russian Bank for the Development of Regions and blocks the assets of two more Russian banks.
Broadcasting of a number of Russian federal TV channels on the territory of the EU will be stopped. A ban on the export of aviation-related goods and technology to Russia, including unmanned aerial vehicles, will be expanded, and a ban on new investments in Russia’s energy and mining sectors will be introduced.
The list of persons on the list of sanctions increased by 190 persons, including members of the Russian government, judges of the constitutional court and members of the families of Russian oligarchs.
According to the Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs of Ukraine, who took part in the TV program, the former ambassador of Ukraine to the Czech Republic, Yevhen Perebijnys, Russia, as before, finds loopholes that allow to bypass sanctions and obtain components for the production of missiles.
According to the deputy minister, next year Ukraine needs 5 billion dollars a month to support the economy in a situation where Russia destroys the country’s critical infrastructure. Also, Ukraine will need more weapons to repel the Russian invasion.
After the TV interview, Jan Lypavskyi left the following message on his Twitter: “The aid to Ukraine must continue. I understand that we are all tired of war, but in a situation where there is a military conflict that directly affects the Czech Republic, including energy prices, we have to deal with it.” in particular with the United States.
