Bucharest has blocked the transit of Russian military equipment to Serbia due to EU sanctions imposed in response to Russian aggression in Ukraine. This information was confirmed to the Romanian website Mediafax by the Romanian Foreign Ministry.
The Romanian authorities refused to issue a license for the transport of military equipment across the Danube at the beginning of the week. Romanian diplomats explained that in order to issue such a license, it is necessary, in particular, to ensure that the transportation of goods does not meet the direct or indirect interests of individuals or legal entities from Russia.
This requirement was not met, stressed the Romanian Foreign Ministry.
Serbia protested and accused Romania of violating the provisions of the Danube Navigation Convention.
The Russian Foreign Ministry told Interfax that no weapons had been sent to Serbia via the Danube.
All statements about such supplies and alleged detention of the Russian transport with armored personnel carriers by the Romanian side are absolute lies,” said the Russian diplomats. “All deliveries were made in strict accordance with the terms of the contract and within the terms agreed upon by the parties”.
Russia was to deliver 30 T-72B3 tanks and 30 BRDM-2 armored vehicles, as well as four Mi-17 and Mi-35 helicopters to Serbia after the modernization, Radio Radio Racy notes.
The equipment was delivered to Belgrade by air.
In July 2017, Romania did not let Russian Deputy Prime Minister Dmitry Rogozin, who was flying from Moscow to Chisinau, through its territory. The U.S. and EU sanctions are in place against the official in connection with Russia’s aggression against Ukraine. As a result, Rogozin’s plane had to turn around and landed in Minsk.
The West imposed sanctions against Russia after it seized Crimea in March 2014 and supported the separatists in eastern Ukraine.
