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Calls for Europe to review border controls after blacklisted Russian visits 70 times
Source: The Guardian
Calls for Europe to review border controls after blacklisted Russian visits 70 times
Despite ban from three EU member states, Andrei Pavlov managed to travel widely
Juliette Garside
Fri 24 May 2019 08.00 BST
Europe is under pressure to review its border controls, after it emerged that an individual sanctioned over his alleged role in Russia’s biggest ever tax fraud has visited member states more than 70 times in the past four years.
The case, which has embroiled the current premier of the Caribbean island of Nevis, raises fresh concerns about the golden passports trade. Countries in the Caribbean – including St Kitts and Nevis – are offering citizenship for cash to individuals seeking easy access to EU member states. Their passports, which confer visa-free travel to the EU for up to 90 days, are popular with individuals wanting to skirt travel restrictions.
MEPs have written to the European commission president calling for action after it emerged that Andrei Pavlov, one of 32 individuals named on a proposed blacklist by the European parliament in April 2014 for their alleged involvement in the Magnitsky scandal, inquired about buying a St Kitts passport and has been making frequent trips to the UK, Germany, Italy, Spain and France.
The Moscow-based lawyer is alleged to have played a central role in the theft of $230m (£182m) from the city’s tax office. A subsequent cover-up involved the imprisonment, torture and killing of the whistleblower Sergei Magnitsky. Pavlov denies all wrongdoing.
-snip-
Despite ban from three EU member states, Andrei Pavlov managed to travel widely
Juliette Garside
Fri 24 May 2019 08.00 BST
Europe is under pressure to review its border controls, after it emerged that an individual sanctioned over his alleged role in Russia’s biggest ever tax fraud has visited member states more than 70 times in the past four years.
The case, which has embroiled the current premier of the Caribbean island of Nevis, raises fresh concerns about the golden passports trade. Countries in the Caribbean – including St Kitts and Nevis – are offering citizenship for cash to individuals seeking easy access to EU member states. Their passports, which confer visa-free travel to the EU for up to 90 days, are popular with individuals wanting to skirt travel restrictions.
MEPs have written to the European commission president calling for action after it emerged that Andrei Pavlov, one of 32 individuals named on a proposed blacklist by the European parliament in April 2014 for their alleged involvement in the Magnitsky scandal, inquired about buying a St Kitts passport and has been making frequent trips to the UK, Germany, Italy, Spain and France.
The Moscow-based lawyer is alleged to have played a central role in the theft of $230m (£182m) from the city’s tax office. A subsequent cover-up involved the imprisonment, torture and killing of the whistleblower Sergei Magnitsky. Pavlov denies all wrongdoing.
-snip-
Read more: https://www.theguardian.com/world/2019/may/24/calls-for-europe-to-review-border-controls-after-blacklisted-russian-visits-70-times