EU may make concessions to Austria to approve 19th package of sanctions against Russia - FT
The compromise on the 19th package of EU sanctions provides for the possibility of a targeted unfreezing of assets related to Russian oligarch Oleg Deripaska.
This is reported by the Financial Times, Censor.NET reports.
According to sources, part of the sanctions may be lifted from Deripaska's assets in the Austrian construction company Strabag, worth about 2 billion euros. The assets are to be transferred to Raiffeisen as compensation for the fine that the bank paid by the decision of a Russian court in favor of Deripaska's business.
Raiffeisen and Deripaska previously tried to exchange assets to unfreeze the oligarch's 24% stake in Strabag, but the plan failed due to the risks of violating EU sanctions. Some European officials express concern that such a step would legitimize attempts by Russian oligarchs to evade sanctions.
The new version of the sanctions package will be discussed on October 3, and ambassadors from a number of EU countries are expected to oppose the unfreezing of assets.
