The EU plans to lift sanctions against two Russian businessmen and a Slovak citizen linked to the Kremlin-affiliated Night Wolves motorcycle group. Prime Minister Robert Fico recently campaigned for its repeal.
The EU has imposed travel bans on around 2,000 people and companies and frozen their assets. They are believed to have participated in or benefited from Russia's invasion of Ukraine. However, some of these sanctions expire on March 15, including against Slovak businessman Jozef Hambálek, whom Fico has repeatedly defended.
Since returning to the Slovak government in October 2023, Fico has raised the issue with European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen and Chancellor Olaf Scholz during his state visit to Germany in January.
“[Hambálek] “He did nothing to harm the national interests of Slovakia and this is the first time that a citizen of Slovakia and the EU has been placed on a sanctions list just because he likes riding a motorbike,” Fico said at a press conference at the end of January.
Hambálek was placed on the sanctions list in the summer of 2022 because he allegedly supported the Kremlin's interests.
“Jozef Hambálek is the president of the European branch of the nationalist motorcycle club Night Wolves MC, based in Slovakia. “He may be linked to Russian President Vladimir Putin and other representatives of the Russian government,” the current EU sanctions list says.
Similarly, the US government has accused the Night Wolves of being directly involved in Russia's annexation of Crimea, as well as the separatist uprising in eastern Ukraine in 2014.
In 2018, the Russian leadership of the Night Wolves' parent organization introduced the Hambáleks motorcycle club as its “European staff”.
Hambálek has long had contacts with politicians from Fico's Smer party, especially Defense Minister Robert Kaliňák, who also appears to be a passionate motorcyclist.
Two diplomatic sources told Portal that in addition to Hambálek, the EU is also not extending sanctions against two Russian businessmen – Arkady Volozh, co-founder of Russian internet giant Yandex, and Sergey Mndoiants, responsible for government relations at Russian conglomerate AFK Sistema PAO.
One of the diplomatic sources said the three entries were considered “legally unsustainable”. The sanctions against these businessmen will therefore expire on March 15th.
[Bearbeitet von Zoran Radosavljevic]