Austria blocks new package of EU sanctions against Russia over Raiffeisen Bank
Vienna seeks to remove its bank from the blacklist of war sponsors
Austria has blocked the 12th package of EU sanctions against Russia. Vienna is seeking the removal of Raiffeisen Bank International from the Ukrainian blacklist of war sponsors in exchange for the signing of new sanctions.
Source. This was reported by Reuters with reference to sources.
The agency notes that this gesture confirms Austria's refusal to withdraw the business of the Raiffeisen banking group from Russia. Earlier, Hungary has already obtained from Ukraine the exclusion from the blacklist of the Hungarian bank OTP.
Reuters notes that Raiffeisen is the only Austrian company on the list of "war sponsors." After Russia's invasion of Ukraine, Raiffeisenbank remained one of the few Russian credit institutions that make transfers via the SWIFT system.
According to Reuters, the bank's representatives met with the National Agency for the Prevention of Corruption, which is adding to the blacklist.
"We believe it is unfair that we are on this list," a bank representative told the agency.
The EU intends to introduce the 12th package of sanctions against Russia in December. It includes, among other things, a ban on the supply of machines that can be used for weapons production. The EU also wants to ban imports of liquid propane, cast iron, copper and aluminum wire, foil, tubes and pipes.
The key point of the package is an embargo on Russian diamonds starting January 1, 2024. The EU also plans to gradually ban imports of Russian diamonds that have been processed in third countries.
Background. Meanwhile, it has become known that the UK is banning the import of diamonds from Russia, as well as "a number of items found by Ukraine on the battlefield." Diamonds are among the ten largest non-energy exports of Russia, enriching the Russian budget.
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