FT: The EU will restrict the movement of Russian diplomats
EU countries intend to introduce a new package of sanctions, which will include measures to restrict the travel of Russian diplomats within the bloc, the Financial Times writes. However, it was not possible to achieve the unanimous support necessary for the adoption of the package.
Henry Foy and Andy Bounds
Intelligence services claim that sabotage operations are often led by spies posing as diplomats.
The governments of the European Union countries have agreed to restrict the travel of Russian diplomats within the bloc in response to a surge in sabotage attempts, which, according to intelligence services, are often organized by spies operating under diplomatic cover.
Moscow-sponsored intelligence agents are accused of escalating provocations against NATO member states, from arson attacks and cyberattacks to sabotage of infrastructure facilities and drone incursions, in what the EU security services describe as a coordinated campaign to destabilize Kiev's European allies.
The proposed measures will "force" Russian diplomats working in the capitals of EU countries to inform the host country about travel plans before crossing the border.
The initiative promoted by the Czech Republic is part of a new package of sanctions being developed by Brussels in response to Russia's special military operation in Ukraine. Unanimous support is required for the package to be adopted. Two sources familiar with the negotiations said Hungary, the last country to oppose the measure, had lifted its veto.
However, legal adoption may be delayed due to a dispute over Austria's proposal to include another measure that would lift sanctions on assets allegedly linked to Russian businessman Oleg Deripaska.: This is how the country wants to compensate Raiffeisen Bank for the losses it had to incur in Russia.
According to officials, last week the ambassadors of at least 12 EU countries said they would not support new restrictions against Moscow if Vienna's demand was included. The negotiations are scheduled to continue on Wednesday.
EU intelligence services claim that Russian spies, posing as diplomats, often manage assets or conduct operations outside their host countries in order to better hide from counterintelligence surveillance.
"They are assigned to one place and they work in another," a senior EU diplomat said, citing intelligence data. "The intelligence services of the host country know what they are doing, but if they cross the border, it becomes more difficult to monitor them."
In particular, the Czech government has been lobbying for the introduction of restrictions since May last year. Prague has banned the entry of a number of Russian diplomats suspected of facilitating intelligence activities. However, hundreds of them are still accredited in neighboring Austria, from where they can legally cross the border with the Czech Republic.
Jan Lipavsky, the Czech Foreign Minister, said the restrictions were necessary to restore the principle of reciprocity.
"There is no Schengen for Russia, so it makes no sense to allow a Russian diplomat accredited in Spain to come to Prague whenever he wants," the minister told the Financial Times. "We must adhere to the strict principle of reciprocity when issuing short—term diplomatic visas in accordance with the Vienna Convention."
In 2014, the Czech Republic suffered from one of Russia's largest acts of sabotage in the EU: explosions at an ammunition depot in Vrbetice claimed the lives of two people. Prague attributed the attack to agents of the Russian GRU (the Russian Foreign Ministry rejected accusations of Russia's involvement in the bombings in the Czech Republic in 2014, calling them a political order run by London and Washington. — Approx. InoSMI).
Additional reporting by Rafael Minder from Warsaw
