Latvian PM criticises Baltic states’ lack of common position on EU sanctions

Latvian Prime Minister Andris Kulbergs said the Baltic states should have coordinated their positions before the European Union decided to remove Russian businessmen Mikhail Fridman and Alisher Usmanov from its sanctions list.

Kulbergs was commenting on the EU’s decision to remove the two businessmen while extending sanctions against around 3,000 individuals and legal entities linked to support for Russia, Delfi reports.

The Latvian prime minister said the Baltic states should have agreed on a common position in advance so that Latvia would not be left as the only EU member state opposing the lifting of the sanctions.

Kulbergs said Lithuania and Estonia had agreed to remove Usmanov and Fridman from the list. Latvia, however, maintained its opposition but was ultimately forced to abstain from the vote.

“It was a tough choice: either a very bad situation or simply a bad one,” Kulbergs said.

By Sabina Mammadli