Albania is one of six countries that has decided to extend sanctions against Russia over the annexation of Crimea.
On 18 June, the European Council adopted an amendment that extends the existing restrictive measures until 23 June 2021.
Albania joins Montenegro, Iceland, Norway, Ukraine, and Georgia who have also aligned themselves with the Council’s decision. They have agreed that their national policies will conform to the decision.
The sanctions include prohibitions targeting the imports of products originating in Crimea or Sevastopol into the EU, infrastructural or financial investments, the export of certain goods to Crimean companies for use in transport, telecommunications, and energy, or for the prospection, exploration, and production of oil gas, and mineral resources.
Measures were first introduced in June 2014 as a response to deliberate attempts to undermine the territorial integrity of Ukraine. Other sanctions in place include economic sanctions to target specific sectors of the Russian economy as well as individual restrictive measures.
The EU does not recognise the illegal annexation of Crimea and Sevastopol by the Russian Federation and continues to condemn what it calls a violation of international law.
