United States sanctions

VINCA - US Ambassador to Serbia Christopher Hill said on Thursday US sanctions imposed on Security Information Agency chief Aleksandar Vulin were not against any of the institutions in Serbia, but against an individual.

Speaking to reporters during a visit to an archaeological site in Vinca, Hill said the US had made this "very clear."

Three Cypriot companies are included in the new list of sanctions imposed by the US. A press release by the US Department of the Treasury says that with over 300 sanctions, the US is targeting Russia's circumvention and evasion of previous sanctions, military-industrial supply chains, and future energy revenues.

The caretaker government is preparing a request for a derogation if the European Union imposes sanctions against Russian nuclear energy, Deputy Minister of Energy Elenko Bozhkov told BNT.

Washington says there is no new policy to announce regarding a recent arms embargo lift on the Republic of Cyprus, following news that US sanctions have been imposed on several dealers including individuals who are based on the island.

The Sanctions Buster

Illustration: BIRN

Slobodan Tesic is reputedly one of the biggest arms traders in the Balkans. He is also one of the most controversial in the region, having been the subject of UN sanctions over violations of embargoes on weapons exports to Liberia for the best part of a decade.

Russia promised today a "strong and painful" response to US sanctions announced after Moscow recognized the independence of the two self-proclaimed republics in eastern Ukraine, AFP reported.

The initial decree was passed in 2001, as well as the criteria for imposing US sanctions, in order to solve challenges, such as corruption and other moves that obstruct key institutions and international agreements, as announced by the White House last night.

U.S. sanctions are a political innuendo signaling that corruption in Bulgaria is getting out of hand, according to Milen Keremedchiev, a former deputy foreign minister.

Reuters reported that the “27” would also agree to impose sanctions on Minsk

Washington is expected to impose sanctions on Moscow as soon as next week