MOSCOW, July 27 - RIA Novosti. European Union sanctions against Russia should affect Russian oligarchs, Vice-Chancellor of Germany, Economy Minister Sigmar Gabriel, said in an interview with the German magazine "Spiegel".
"First and foremost, we must influence the oligarchs. We must freeze their accounts in European capitals and cancel entry permits," the minister said, adding that it can happen next week.
Gabriel agreed that the imposition of new sanctions against Russia will have an impact on the European economy. In his opinion, it is justified by the objectives pursued by the EU preparing new sanctions.
German Finance Minister Wolfgang Schaeuble has expressed a similar view in an interview with the magazine.
"The priority of politics [over the economy] is not in question. The economy follows our course for 100 percent," the magazine quoted Schaeuble.
On Saturday, the EU expanded the sanctions’ list, adding 15 individuals and 18 entities, including Russian Federal Security Service chief Aleksander Bortnikov, Russian Security Council Secretary Nikolai Patrushev, head of Russia's Foreign Intelligence Service Mikhail Fradkov, Governor of the Krasnodar Territory Aleksander Tkachev and Chechen leader Ramzan Kadyrov. The EU said earlier it believes that officials and entities targeted by the sanctions are responsible for threatening Ukraine’s territorial integrity.
Earlier Saturday, the European Commission has also adopted legislative proposals on sectoral sanctions against Russia amid the crisis in Ukraine. The Council’s Committee of Permanent Representatives (COREPER) is due to discuss them on July 29.
