The decision of the European Union to list the sanction of both the Russian billionaire Andriy Melnichenko, and his wife is “irrational” because she has never had Russian citizenship and did not live in Russia, said a spouse on Saturday, CNBC reports.
Oleksandra Melnichenko, who was born in Belgrade and has the citizenship of Serbia and Croatia, “will decisively challenge the unsuccessful decision against her,” the representative said, refusing to name the name.
Last month, Reuters reported that on March 8, Melnichenko had transferred the ownership of a coal company SUEK JSC and fertilizer production company Eurochem Group AG to his wife, the day before the EU has made it to the sanctions list.
On Friday, the EU imposed sanctions against Melnichenko’s wife as part of the sixth package of sanctions against Russia for war against Ukraine. The EU stated that Alexander Melnichenko “uses well and benefits from her husband’s wealth.”
This step can disrupt the work of SECE and European ChD, as sanctions include freezing women’s assets.
Europe provides approximately 5% of the world’s fertilizer production.