The Secretary of State for European Affairs is defending “more effective” European Union (EU) sanctions against Russia for its invasion of Ukraine, as the European Commission is finalizing a new package of measures to prevent evasion of restrictions.
“At the moment an 11th package is being discussed and we are waiting for the Commission’s proposals, but we know they will be very focused on avoiding circumventing existing sanctions and therefore making them more effective and efficient, to ensure that the effectiveness of existing sanctions,” says Tiago Antunes.
In an interview with the Lusa bureau about the celebration of Europe Day, an event marked today, the official declined to comment on the advanced news of possible restrictive measures against Chinese companies close to Russian oligarchs, instead defending dat “the next package [de sanções] will be strongly focused on this idea of the effectiveness of sanctions and the avoidance of sanctions evasion mechanisms”.
“This is very important because those who are subject to these sanctions are naturally trying to find all possible ways to get around them and that is why the EU must remain vigilant on a regular basis and make a very, very significant effort to close all possible margins, by those, namely the oligarchs, are exploring the possibility of circumventing the sanctions regimes in force,” the Secretary of State for European Affairs summed up.
Tiago Antunes adds that “it is very important that this is adopted and therefore includes important partners of Russian oligarchs”.
In addition, the official emphasizes that the 10 packages of sanctions in place are “quite robust and quite powerful and have basically limited Russia’s ability to carry out and intensify its war effort.”
“This has had an effective effect in limiting Russia’s offensive power,” he concludes.
On Monday, the European Commission confirmed that it has presented the eleventh package of sanctions against Russia to the EU Council.
The EU must today reaffirm European DNA in the face of war
The Secretary of State for European Affairs believes that the European Union (EU) should today reaffirm “the European DNA”, namely in the current context of war on European soil, and underline the need for “points of consensus” between countries.
“Europe Day is always an important moment, a moment to celebrate the European spirit and the European project, but I would say that we live in the geopolitical context with the war in Ukraine — and this is the second year in a row that we celebrate Europe Day mark again with war on European soil — (…), this should lead us to reflect on what was at the root of the European project, which was the search for peace,” says Tiago Antunes.
The Minister points out that “these values are at the heart of the European project and are also included in the ‘Schuman Declaration’, which (…) makes sense to reaffirm, the values of peace, defense of democracy , human rights and the rule of law”.
“It is this European DNA that we celebrate and that is particularly relevant at a time when we (…) live on the European continent, with the return of war and an absolutely illegal invasion, in violation of international law,” emphasizes the official.
Tiago Antunes admits that the EU, being made up of 27 member states, “implies a series of negotiations and interactions”, also stressing the “need to find meeting points and consensus and compromises” between the countries.
“Sometimes it can even seem a little frustrating, but when we arrive in a good port and show up on a united front, it has value in itself and we have shown that in successive packages of sanctions against Russia, for example.” …) unanimously approved, which have shown that the EU is united in condemning the Russian attack and aggression,” he stressed.
Source: DN
