London. Britain will try to speed up the sanctions process on Monday with new legislation designed to allow ministers to tighten restrictions on Russian companies and business leaders.
The Economic Crimes (Transparency and Enforcement) bill is set to pass Parliament next week as Britain seeks to punish those with ties to Russian President Vladimir Putin in response to his invasion of Ukraine.
First Minister Boris Johnson said: “punitive sanctions make no sense until they are properly applied, and these changes will allow us to go after Putin’s allies in the UK to the fullest extent permitted by law, without any legal doubt or objection.”
Britain has already imposed sanctions on some individuals, banks and companies, but has come under fire from activists and opposition politicians who say it has been too slow to crack down on Russian oligarchs and companies.
Among the technical changes in the bill is the creation of a legal authority to penalize individuals or companies already subject to sanctions by allies such as the European Union, the United States and Canada.
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