Romania criminalizes helping companies, individuals on list of sanctions against Russia

Foreign minister Oana Ţoiu announced on Monday, November 10, that the Romanian Senate adopted a bill criminalizing the violation and circumvention of international sanctions against Russia.

According to the new law, those who help individuals and companies on the sanctions list will no longer get away with a simple fine but will be held criminally liable and risk jail time.

“Romania keeps its word! I thank my fellow parliamentarians who today adopted, with 110 votes out of 121 present in the Senate, the bill that was co-initiated by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and the Ministry of Justice, through which the violation and circumvention of international sanctions against Russia becomes a serious crime under the jurisdiction of DIICOT,” wrote the minister on Facebook.

“This vote aligns us with our European partners and shows zero tolerance for those who help Russia in its illegal aggression. Romania should have fully aligned with international sanctions long ago, and now only clear action and commitment to this position, including in international media, can reassure our partners that we are not wavering on the subject,” Ţoiu further stated.

The law project was first announced back in the summer, after a joint decision by EU member states on July 18 to extend the sanctions package to the intermediaries through which certain companies from the Russian Federation tried to bypass the previous sanctions system.

(Photo source: Oana Toiu on Facebook)