Russian Foreign Ministry Threatened to Respond to EU Sanctions against the Crimean Bridge Builders

Due to EU sanctions against Russian companies involved in the construction of the bridge to Crimea, European companies working in Russia may be affected, stated Russian Foreign Ministry press service. Russian Foreign Ministry noted that “EU is clearly bothered” by Crimea’s people free choice to reunite with Russia and stated to Brussels that since 2016, the EU sanctions list has been expanded almost exclusively by Russian citizens “that are in some way connected to the successful democratic development of Crimea and Sevastopol as part of the Russian Federation”. “There are quite a few companies from EU countries working in Russia, including in the construction sector, whose interests could be affected by another round of sanctions”, mentioned  in Russian Foreign Ministry. Russian Foreign Ministry also blamed EU that it has apostatized its motto to “build bridges, not walls”, by building “artificial barriers” on the way to improving the lives of the people of Crimea. On July 30 the EU Council imposed sanctions on 6 companies involved in the construction of the Crimean Bridge, the Tavrida road and their related objects: Mostotrest, LLC Stroygazmontazh, Institute Giprostroymost Saint-Petersburg, the Zaliv Shipyard, Stroygazmontazh-Most and JSC VAD. Vehicle crossing over the automobile part of the bridge to Crimea was opened in May 2018. The railway crossing will be completed in 2019. Crimea joined the Russian Federation following the referendum in March 2014. Source: RBK