A European Parliament member for the European Union has revealed that there are 41 names in the list of restrictive sanctions to be taken against the Maldives.
EU council has previously announced restrictive measures on Maldives, along with threats of targeted sanctions against individuals responsible for the "undermining the rule or obstructing an inclusive political solution" and those who have committed "serious human rights violations.
The council then proceeded to create a framework for restrictive sanctions against Maldives in July.
As per the first framework, steps will be taken against some of the political leaders and their associates. The EU is granted powers to impose travel bans on member countries and freeze assets abroad.
Although they have not publicised any names so far, actions will be taken after gazetting a list of targeted individuals.
In an interview given to EP Today, a parliament member of EU and Rapporteur for the March 2018 Resolution on the Maldives, Tomas Zdechovsky declared that a list has been formulated.
"We have that list. It has 41 names on it; I have seen it. We have targeted sanctions. Now it is time for strategy. The resolution is clear; the articles are clear," said Tomas Zdechovsky.
"There should also be a warning to the people surrounding President Yameen, who have committed human rights violations in his name: your names will be shared globally; there will be nowhere to hide. Yameen’s only loyalty is to power and greed", said Ryszard Czarnecki, another EU parliament member.
"In the future, he will not come to the defence of those keeping him in power now.”
President Abdulla Yameen Abdul Gayyoom had previously revealed that he had been warned about these sanctions, noting that his government will not compromise on certain values and principals.
In his interview, Zdechovsky addressed the Presidential Elections to be held in September as well.
He said that "the international community will not stand by and accept a false election result; they will act together against the predators - Europe is serious, its Members States are concerned and together they will work with the US, Canada, Australia, New Zealand, India and Japan to uphold democracy and the democratic process.
Henri Malosse, 30th President of the European Economic and Social Committee (EESC) dubbed the situation in the Maldives as "a thread for the entire international community" that concerned all of the EU.
"This situation could happen anywhere in a world where ambitious apprentice-dictator builds a prison for his or her own people, supported by an aggressive superpower and terrorist groups," he said.
" We will not let Yameen transform the paradise islands of the Maldives to a hell."
Responding to EU's declaration against government figures, President Yameen had stated that rather than affecting him or leading government members, the sanctions would negatively impact Maldivians, particularly those in the business community.
Malosse went on to say that "If Yameen wins with threats and fraud, we won’t just ban his close friends, we will ban the entire country from tourism and investment”.
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