Serbia has not complied with new EU sanctions against Russia and Belarus

Serbia has once again failed to comply with the European Union sanctions imposed on October 23 against Russia and Belarus due to Russia’s invasion of Ukraine or support for this aggression.

On October 23, the EU Council adopted four decisions on sanctions against Russia and Belarus, but Serbia, as a candidate country for membership, has not complied with any of these decisions.

One of the decisions added 22 persons and 42 entities responsible for actions undermining or threatening the territorial integrity, sovereignty, and independence of Ukraine to the list of persons, entities, and bodies subject to restrictive measures.

The decision introduced an additional criterion for listing natural or legal persons, entities, or bodies responsible for supporting or implementing actions or policies that contribute to deportation, forced displacement, and forced assimilation.

The EU announced that Albania, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Iceland, Liechtenstein, Moldova, Montenegro, North Macedonia, Norway, and Ukraine had aligned themselves with this decision.

On October 23, the EU Council also adopted a decision on restrictive measures in view of the situation in Belarus and Belarus’ involvement in Russia’s aggression against Ukraine.

The Council added two natural persons and three legal entities to the list of natural and legal persons, entities, and bodies subject to restrictive measures.

Albania, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Iceland, Liechtenstein, Montenegro, North Macedonia, Norway, and Ukraine have aligned themselves with the decision.

One of the sanctions decisions includes an extension of the list of products that could contribute to the military and technological strengthening of Belarus or the development of its defense and security sector. It also includes a list of goods subject to export restrictions that could contribute to the strengthening of Belarus’ industrial capabilities.

Albania, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Iceland, Liechtenstein, Montenegro, North Macedonia, Norway, and Ukraine have aligned themselves with the decision.

The EU Council also imposed additional restrictions on Russian energy revenues by completely banning imports of Russian liquefied natural gas (LNG) completely banned transactions with Rosneft and Gazpromneft related to oil and gas imports into the EU, and extended the import ban to certain types of liquefied petroleum gas (LPG).

The decision also introduced restrictive measures against ships from the “gray fleet” that help Moscow circumvent the restrictions imposed due to the Kremlin’s invasion of Ukraine. The decision also requires Russian diplomats traveling to the EU outside their country of accreditation to notify the relevant EU member state in advance.

Albania, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Iceland, Liechtenstein, Montenegro, North Macedonia, Norway, and Ukraine have joined this decision.

Serbia has supported several United Nations resolutions emphasizing respect for Ukraine’s territorial integrity and sovereignty, but has not joined any of the sanctions packages imposed by the EU against Russia.

/www.slobodnaevropa.org