Switzerland is following the EU’s approach and imposing sanctions on eight Russian citizens – Business & Economy
GENEVA, October 27th. / TASS /. Switzerland has added eight people to its sanctions list, which was introduced because of the reunification of Crimea with Russia, including the Crimean Federal Security Service and the head of the Sevastopol Directorate, Leonid Mikhayluk. According to the website of the State Secretariat for Economic Affairs (SECO), these measures came into force on October 25th.
The inclusion of the eight people on the sanctions list was justified on the grounds that they allegedly “support activities and policies that undermine and threaten the territorial integrity, sovereignty and independence of Ukraine”.
According to SECO, the Crimea and the city of Sevastopol are subject to an “import ban on goods without a certificate of origin from the Ukrainian authorities”. In addition, the export of a number of Swiss goods and the provision of services are prohibited.
Switzerland is neutral and not a member of the EU, but follows the EU’s sanctions policy. On April 2, 2014, Bern initially imposed sanctions in connection with the Ukrainian events. Since then, the Swiss sanctions list has been amended over 30 times. Switzerland avoids calling its steps sanctions: Bern speaks in its documents of “measures aimed at preventing the circumvention of international sanctions in connection with the events in Ukraine”.