MOSCOW, September 2 (RIA Novosti) - Czech Prime Minister Bohuslav Sobotka disagrees with parts of the draft on new EU sanctions against Russia, Radiozurnal reported Tuesday.
“Based on the first reading of the European Commission’s draft, I can say that [Czech Republic] will have objections,” Sobotka was quoted as saying by the Czech radio station Radiozurnal.
Czech authorities received the European Commission's draft on new sanctions against Russia on Tuesday. According to Radiozurnal, possible new measures include tightening the existing economic sanctions, limiting Russian state-owned companies’ access to the EU market and expanding the list of persons subject to travel bans and asset freezing.
“We are currently not able to guess the results of a new wave of sanctions that Russia could implement against EU member states. That is the main problem,” Sobotka stated.
The Czech government is set to review the draft on Wednesday.
Europe's sanctions may also extend into the sports field, the radio station reported. The European Commission wishes to suspend Russia’s membership in international sports organizations, prevent Russian football teams from competing in European tournaments and even strip Russia of the 2018 World Cup.
Though the EU does not hold the authority to stop Russia from participating in international sports events, it may try to affect other countries and sponsors through lobbying, Radiozurnal informed.
The European Union has imposed several rounds of economic sanctions on Moscow in the light of the Ukrainian crisis. Russia has replied with one-year ban on the import of certain food products, including meat, dairy, fruit and vegetables, from the EU.
