EU Blacklists All Duma Deputies From Crimea

• 11.09.2016, 19:59
•  Europe,  EEU,  World

gbtimes.com

As TASS reports, according to an EU Council decision, the European Union has added all deputies of the State Duma, the lower house of Russia’s parliament, elected from Crimea and Sevastopol, to its sanctions blacklist.

Reportedly, the sanctions blacklist includes five deputies from Crimea: Konstantin Bakharev, Ruslan Balbek, Andrei Kozenko, Svetlana Savchednko and Pavel Shperov and deputy from Sevastopol Dmitry Belik.

Two more Crimean deputies - Natalia Poklonskaya and Mikhail Sheremet - were included in the EU’s sanctions blacklist earlier.

Therefore, starting from November 9, the EU’s sanctions blacklist includes 157 citizens of Russia and Ukraine and 37 organizations, mostly state structures and military formations from the Donetsk and Lugansk People’s Republics.

Special attention in the EU’s blacklist is paid to the State Duma deputies: the leadership of the lower house of Russia’s parliament, including the leaders of the basic parliamentary factions, comprised the basis of the EU’s first blacklist approved in March 2014 immediately after Crimea reintegrated into Russia.

According to the EU statement, all the blacklisted persons are denied access to the EU territory and its banking system. The EU Council extends the effect of this sanctions measure every six months. Now its effect will last through March 17.