Swiss banks are not allowed Viktor Vekselberg to send a portion frozen in his accounts money for the fight against the pandemic coronavirus. The billionaire called the decision “barbaric”.
Russian billionaire Viktor Vekselberg announced that he wanted to send to fight the pandemic coronavirus, part of the money frozen in his accounts in Switzerland due US sanctions. However, Swiss banks, according to the businessman, refused to go to meet him.
“We face sanctions in the context of American law repeatedly addressed, for example, Swiss financial institutions, in particular, to investment Bank Julius Baer with a request to send a portion of the funds on the problems with the pandemic. In any business, to charity. We were refused”, — said the Chairman of the Board of Directors of group of companies “Renova” in the course-online session of Russian business Week, Russian Union of Industrialists and entrepreneurs (quoted by “Interfax”).
He called on the international the business community “to take the initiative to overcome artificial barriers in this regard”.
In April 2018, the U.S. Treasury has included Vekselberg and the group of companies “Renova” in the sanctions SDN-list (Specially Designated Nationals list of persons in special categories). Getting into the SDN List means a complete ban of Americans to any transactions with the company or a businessman.
the United States explained that the sanctions against the billionaire was imposed due “it conducts activities in the energy sector of the Russian economy” and from that “two close to Vekselberg people were detained by the Russian authorities for bribing officials” (it was about the co-owner and managing Director of “Renova” Yevhen Olkhovyk and CEO of the company’s “T plus” Boris Vainzikher).
