Russian-Latvian dual citizen and billionaire Pjotrs Avens has accused Latvia’s Foreign Minister Baiba Braže of attempting to “cement” his continued inclusion on the European Union (EU) sanctions list based on subjective rather than objective arguments.
“In a recent interview published in the newspaper Diena, Latvia’s Foreign Minister Baiba Braže directly accuses me of criminal conduct: corrupt ties with Russia’s top political leadership and money laundering. As far as I know, she has made similar claims in the past both in private and in official conversations. These are lies! Such statements about me and my partners have already been deemed defamatory by a UK court ruling in the so-called ‘Steele Dossier’ case. I have never broken the law in any country,” Avens declared in a public statement.
He continued:
“Regrettably, Minister Braže’s actions are not grounded in objective or legal reasoning;
rather, they appear to be driven by personal bias or other subjective motives, including political ambitions. It is becoming increasingly clear that a single official is pursuing a targeted campaign with the sole purpose of keeping me on the sanctions list—regardless of the facts, the rule of law, or court decisions.”
Avens emphasized that he has fully complied with all EU requirements for removal from the sanctions list. “Moreover, the General Court of the European Union has already ruled that my inclusion on this list was unfounded. This is a formal legal conclusion based on evidence and legal standards—not political interpretation.”
“It is no coincidence that in the latest renewal round of the sanctions list, a number of EU member states supported my removal. Despite this, Minister Braže is actively working to ‘cement’ my place on the list. Diplomats have reportedly been instructed to persuade other countries to oppose my removal—not based on facts, but through political pressure and personal agendas. Such conduct undermines trust in the independence of EU institutions and the rule of law. More seriously, it is, in effect, unlawful. Sanctions are a foreign policy tool, and using them to address domestic political issues is prohibited by law and EU treaties.”
According to Avens, the minister’s actions are directly harming the Republic of Latvia. “I will take all possible measures to defend the honor and dignity of myself and my family,” he concluded.
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