New EU sanctions slapped on Crimea

Italy's Prime Minister Matteo Renzi European Council President Donald Tusk and European Commission President Jean-Claude Juncker give a final press conference at the end of EU heads of states and governments at EU council headquarters in Brussels, 18.12.2014. Photo: PAP/EPA/OLIVIER HOSLET

The move comes following an EU summit in Brussels this week.

The sanctions include a ban on the sale of oil and gas technologies, as well as stopping European firms, dealing with the transport, telecoms, energy and tourism sectors, from doing business in Crimea.

The new sanctions also list seven ports where EU cruise ships cannot call from March next year: Chernomorsk, Evpatoria, Kamysh-Burun, Kerch, Sevastopol, Theodosia and Yalta.

The new sanctions were agreed on Thursday and are hoped to give the EU a stronger stance on Russia’s annexation of the Crimean peninsula.

“These sanctions are confirmation of the protest against the illegal annexation of Crimea by Russia, which we believe has broken international law,” EC spokesperson Maja Kocijanczicz said. (jb)

Source: IAR/PAP/EU Observer