Russian lobbyists will no longer be allowed in the buildings of the European Parliament. The President of the European Parliament, Roberta Metsola, decided this last week after weeks of unsuccessful negotiations with the European Commission and the Council of Ministers about a joint ban.
Both the Commission and the Parliament wanted the Russian representatives removed, but under the French EU Presidency there was resistance from the Council. Since no joint decision is in sight, the European Parliament decided to act alone on Thursday. The decision came after the Greens, along with other political factions, requested it.
Due to this decision, dozens of Russian companies and entities must close their offices located in EP buildings in Brussels and Strasbourg. Given what is happening now, we can no longer avoid this issue, it was said.
On Friday, the European Union imposed its sixth sanctions package against Russia. This package not only includes a phase-out of Russian oil imports but also sanctions against Kremlin officials. For example, Aleksandra Melnishenko, the wife of the previously sanctioned Russian billionaire Andrei Melnishenko, has now also been blacklisted. According to Reuters, he transferred his companies to her in an attempt to minimize business damage.
"There are still too many of Putin's accomplices escaping European sanctions against Russia," says Dutch MEP Peter van Dalen (Christian Union). Together with two colleagues from Lithuania, he has submitted questions about this to the European Commission's Foreign Affairs Chief, Josep Borrell.
Not nearly all Russians affiliated with President Putin’s regime are on the European sanctions list. This is clear from a list compiled by the Anti Corruption Foundation, an organization founded by Russian opposition leader Alexei Navalny, who is currently imprisoned in Russia.
The list includes 6,000 people affiliated with Vladimir Putin. These are among others members of government services such as ministries and the security council, state media, bankers, and regional and local politicians. According to the Foundation, these people contribute to the war in Ukraine through their close ties to Putin’s regime. Van Dalen finds this both incomprehensible and unjust and therefore wants clarification from Borrell.
The European Parliament also believes that the 'sale' of European passports to wealthy Russians must end. Since Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, the United Kingdom, Malta, Bulgaria, Portugal, Greece, and the Czech Republic have all suspended these procedures. But the European Parliament wants to go a step further and issue a blanket ban on the programs.