Ukraine’s National Agency on Corruption Prevention (NACP) will no longer publish on its website the ‘international sponsors of war’ list directed at companies continuing to operate in Russia.
Appeals were heard by Ukrainian government departments this week from some countries over concerns there is a lack of a regulatory framework in operating the list. Kyiv also heard claims of the “negative impact” the list has on official decisions to “counter Russian aggression” in the war-torn country.
Information contained on the list will now be managed centrally, through the state sanctions register of the National Security and Defense Council of Ukraine (NSDC).
“This is necessary for reliable and unified information about the official list of entities subject to sanctions in Ukraine,” a government statement read after a meeting of internal departments and foreign country representatives.
The NACP, which according to its website “formulates and coordinates anti-corruption policy in Ukraine”, most recently added Nestlé to its sponsors of war list in November.
While other global food companies such as Unilever, PepsiCo, Mars, Mondelez International and Bonduelle feature on the list, it also includes other international businesses and individuals: Procter & Gamble, Alibaba, Bacardi and Philip Morris International, for example.
“After the discussion, those present agreed with a number of proposals of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, the Ministry of Justice, the Ministry of Economy, the National Security Council, and the National Agency for the Prevention of Corruption,” the statement read.
“In particular, regarding the need to transfer the information contained on the above-mentioned website [NACP] to the Interdepartmental Working Group on the Implementation of State Sanctions Policy for processing, including determining the grounds for applying sanctions to the subjects indicated on this resource and preparing relevant proposals for consideration by meetings of the National Security Council."
The ambassadors of Italy, Japan, Austria, France, Hungary and Turkey were present at the meeting, along with the charge d'affaires of the embassies of the US, Belgium, Finland, Greece, plus the EU “representation in Ukraine”.
“Representatives” of the embassies of the UK, Canada, Germany and China also attended.
The statement added: “The issue of functioning of the ‘international war sponsors’ page on the [NACP] website was considered.
“In particular, information from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs was heard about numerous appeals by representatives of the diplomatic corps of partner countries regarding the lack of a regulatory framework…And accordingly, the negative impact of this list on the adoption of important decisions to counter Russian aggression.
“In addition, the Ministry of Justice emphasised the inadmissibility of distributing such information on behalf of the state without resolving the issues at the legislative level.”
The NSDC concluded that there is "no need for additional institutions to implement the state sanctions policy, as all comprehensive information on this issue is included in the State Register of Sanctions".
