Lithuania doesn’t rule broadening natl sanctions against Russia

The minister told the daily Lietuvos Žinios that Lithuania is considering adding the State Duma deputies elected in the Russia-annexed Crimea to its list of “personae non grata”. If EU-wide discussions on this issue linger on, the country does not rule out imposing national sanctions.

“This is of more symbolic than practical significance. To be frank, a European solution would be much more effective. But a national solution is a signal, too,” he said.

The minister said that none of the 46 names included into the so-called Savchenko List in April has been removed from it following the release by Russia of Ukraine’s military pilot Nadiya Savchenko, because other Ukrainians, including Oleg Sentsov and Oleksandr Kolchenko, continue to be unlawfully held in prison in that country.

“We have decided not to revise the list because there are no grounds for doing so. On the contrary, we are discussing in the European Union possible extra sanctions, particularly in the wake of the so-called election in the annexed Crimea,” he said.

The lists of people declared personae non grata in Lithuania are not publicly available.