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Govt assures EU sanctions will not be imposed

Shaina Abdulla
06 August 2018, MVT 12:58
fisheries ministry press
Shaina Abdulla
06 August 2018, MVT 12:58

Minister of Fisheries and Agriculture Dr. Mohamed Shainee has accused the European Union (EU) of trying to extort money from businessmen, and assured that the government is taking all necessary actions to ensure that the framework adopted by the EU will not be imposed on any citizens of the Maldives.

The fisheries minister took to Twitter, in response to a tweet by the EU to the Maldives on the full text of EU’s restrictive measures framework adopted last month.

“To all those trying to extort money from businessmen and create fear of including them in the so called “sanction list”, please read the framework and find an empty list in the annex. Government is doing all necessary to make sure no sanction is imposed on any one of us,” said Dr Shainee.

Whilst Shainee has made the accusations against EU, he did not disclose the name of the businessmen affected by the adopted sanctions.

The framework was initiated by the EU over the government's refusal to comply with the resolution passed by the EU Parliament earlier. The resolution called on Maldives to restore democracy, revive and ensure all the rights accorded by the Constitution to the people, and allow the parliament and judiciary to function within the legal framework. The EU parliament also called on the government to dismiss the charges levied on "unlawfully" detained politicians of the opposition, and to reinstate 12 lawmakers that were ousted from the parliament over floor-crossing.

EU adopted the framework for restrictive sanctions against the country and against certain political leaders and their associates, to be put in effect if the current political situation further debilitates in their view.The framework was set after discussing its previously declared intent to “introduce targeted measures and sanctions against those in the country undermining human rights, and to freeze the assets abroad of, and impose travel bans on, certain members of the Maldivian Government and their leading supporters in the Maldivian business community”, if the conditions are not met within a yet-to-be specified period of time.

However, the council has thus far not made a decision to impose sanctions on any such individual, nor has it made the list of high profile individuals public.

The EU's council decision revealed that the targeted restrictive measures must be imposed against individuals responsible for undermining the rule of law or obstructing an inclusive political solution in the Maldives, as well as individuals responsible for serious human rights violations or abuses.

The council further encouraged the government to engage with the leaders of the opposition in order to pave the way for credible, transparent and inclusive presidential elections.

The council decision also stated that further union of the parliament is required in order to implement any measures on the situation of the Maldives.

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