Swiss Senate Blocks Unilateral Sanctions to Preserve Neutrality

MOSCOW (Sputnik) - Switzerland's parliamentary security commission of the Council of States (CPS-E) unanimously blocked the country's ability to introduce autonomous sanctions against individuals, accused of serious international law violations, fearing that this could challenge the country's neutrality, the Swiss parliament said on Friday.

"The commission is convinced that the current sanctions policy has proven its effectiveness. So far, Switzerland has not imposed sanctions autonomously but has participated in internationally widely approved sanctions on a case-by-case basis. In the eyes of the CPS-E, an autonomous sanctions policy would have only a symbolic effect and is undesirable. So, the commission rejects the provision introduced by the National Council as part of the amendment to the law on embargoes," the statement read.

The senators believe that such amendments would seriously change Switzerland's sanctions policy and question the rule of law and the county's neutral status.

"The SPC-E thinks that our country could run the risk of being pressured in the future to adopt sanctions against certain entities or people," the statement added.

Switzerland adopted the seventh package of EU sanctions against Russia on August 3 that includes a ban on import of gold and freezing of Sberbank’s assets. Swiss People's Party, also knows as Democratic Union of the Centre (UDC), said at the time that the Russia sanctions violated Switzerland's Constitution, which stresses that the country is neutral.