Ministry of Culture proposes that EU take into account cultural aspect in next sanctions packages
The Ministry of Culture and Strategic Communications of Ukraine has appealed to representatives of the European Union with a proposal to take into account the cultural aspect when forming the next sanctions packages.
This was reported by the Ministry of Culture, Censor.NET reports.
As noted, on May 13, representatives of the Ministry of Culture met with representatives of the European Union Advisory Mission responsible for combating illegal actions against cultural heritage. They discussed the development of mechanisms to combat illegal actions against cultural heritage in the context of Russian armed aggression.
Andriy Najos, Deputy Minister of Culture and Strategic Communications for European Integration, emphasized that Russia's war against Ukraine has not only a military but also a distinct cultural dimension, which requires an appropriate response from both the state and international partners.
"Separately, the parties discussed further strengthening of the sanctions policy against individuals and organizations involved in the looting and illegal transfer of Ukrainian cultural property from the temporarily occupied territories. The ICPC appealed to EU representatives with a proposal to take into account the cultural aspect in the formation of the next sanctions packages," the Ministry of Culture said.
It was also emphasized that Ukraine is actively cooperating with the Netherlands and Germany in returning illegally exported cultural property. The parties agreed that the creation of a full-fledged national register of the museum fund will certainly facilitate the identification of stolen artifacts, which will facilitate international cooperation on this issue. The European partners outlined their readiness to continue to provide all necessary support through the exchange of experience and best national practices for maintaining databases of cultural losses.
It is reported that representatives of the European Union reaffirmed their support for Ukrainian initiatives and emphasized the importance of a comprehensive approach that combines sanctions instruments with international legal cooperation in combating crimes against cultural heritage.
