In October, the European Union approved its 19th package of sanctions against Russia. The measures affected two banks in Kyrgyzstan — Tolubay and Eurasian Savings Bank. Two companies, Old Vector LLC and Grinex LLC, were also included in the list. EU Commissioner for International Partnerships Jozef Síkela commented to journalists on whether they could be removed from the sanctions list.
«They were included due to concerns about circumvention of European Union sanctions against Russia. Removal from the list is certainly possible once the relevant reasons are no longer valid. We regularly review all measures and welcome constructive dialogue with the Kyrgyz authorities,» he said.
According to Síkela, the EU has taken note of the request from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Kyrgyzstan to conduct an independent audit in relation to the sanctions imposed on the two Kyrgyz banks.
«Any further steps will be based on verified evidence and full adherence to EU procedures. We will continue to work transparently and constructively with the Kyrgyz authorities throughout the process,» the EU Commissioner for International Partnerships concluded.
