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German sanctions against Russian oligarchs advancing slowly
File photo of the German flag flying in the wind outside the new Federal Ministry of the Interior building in Berlin on April 26, 2015. - Reuters pic

BERLIN, March 4 — Germany is making slow progress in enforcing sanctions against Russian oligarchs and institutions, according to government numbers seen by Reuters on Saturday.

Germany has frozen around €5.25 billion (RM25 billion)in assets belonging to sanctioned oligarchs since Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, according to the German finance ministry. The figure was €4.28 billion six months ago.

The ministry shared this information in reply to a request from member of the German parliament Christian Goerke.

"Since December, only €200 million in oligarch assets have been frozen, and for half a year, just one billion. Not a single oligarch has reported his assets since December,” Goerke criticized.

Under Germany’s sanctions law, targets of European Union sanctions must declare their assets immediately, under penalty of a fine or up to a year in prison.

Eight oligarchs have reported 31 asset positions to the Bundesbank so far, according to government figures. The value equals about €577 million. It is distributed among account balances, company holdings and securities. — Reuters

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