16:45 30.09.2021

EU can independently compile list of unwanted Ukrainian oligarchs, deny them entry - EU auditor

2 min read
EU can independently compile list of unwanted Ukrainian oligarchs, deny them entry - EU auditor

The auditors of the European Court of Auditors believe that the European Union can itself develop a list of Ukrainian oligarchs in order to restrict their activity on the European market and prohibit entry into the EU member states.

This is how speaker Juhan Parts in an exclusive interview with the Interfax-Ukraine agency explained the corresponding recommendation of the report of the European Court of Auditors, dedicated to the support by the European Union of reforms in Ukraine in the field of combating corruption at a high level.

"The EU should probably develop kind of a model how to address this group of people, diminish their opportunity to act in the European market, including money laundering," the auditor said.

Asked who exactly should draw up the corresponding list of specific persons, Parts noted that such a decision is made by the European Council.

But any decision of this type is passed on to the European External Action Service, where, together with the EU member states, they can think about how to prohibit the entry into the EU for specific persons who are under great suspicion, a little like in the United States, he explained.

While detailing this proposal, the auditor emphasized that the matter does not concern sanctions.

"We are not talking about sanctions, we are a little bit more modest. We are proposing what should be done to be more effective with this anti-corruption strategy, and what we are proposing is not only this kind of bilateral cooperation or different kind of cooperation between the EU and Ukrainian government. The EU also themselves can limit the leverage and power of these groups of people who have a vested interest in Ukraine. This is what we proposed. If you want to hear names you can open media. Of course, it's not a work of external auditors," the expert said.

"We are looking how to improve this overall management and the policies … The Commission and the EC should consider this kind of tool to be more effective on this corruption front," he noted.

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