LISBON: Portugal is analysing the citizenship functions of two Russian oligarchs – considered one of whom is below US sanctions, the federal government stated late on Friday, as a regulation granting passports to descendants of Sephardic Jews faces rising scrutiny.
Russian-Israeli diamond oligarch Lev Leviev and Russian property developer God Nisanov are the newest high-profile Russians identified to have utilized for citizenship below the laws.
US Secretary of State Antony Blinken stated final month that Nisanov, who was hit by sanctions following Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, was “one of many richest males in Europe and an in depth affiliate of a number of Russian officers”.
The 2 males’s citizenship functions are “pending evaluation”, Portugal’s Justice Ministry stated in an announcement, with out giving additional particulars. Representatives for Leviev and Nisanov didn’t instantly reply to requests for remark.
Sanctions-hit Russian billionaire Roman Abramovich was granted citizenship in April 2021 below the identical regulation, a course of that triggered an ongoing inquiry at a state company and compelled the federal government to tighten the foundations.
Two years earlier, Russian businessman Andrei Rappoport, who has a web value of $1.2 billion in line with Forbes, additionally acquired a Portuguese passport.
Rappoport, whose representatives didn’t instantly reply to a request for remark, was recognized by the US Treasury Division in 2018 as being near Russian President Vladimir Putin.
A report in Portugal’s Publico newspaper on Wednesday stated all 4 of the oligarchs had utilized for Portuguese nationality by means of Porto’s Israeli Group (CIP), which was answerable for vetting their genealogies.
Police are investigating the CIP on suspicion of cash laundering, corruption, fraud and falsification of paperwork.
In an announcement on Friday, CIP stated the accusations have been “false” and all candidates complied with authorized necessities to acquire the certificates wanted to show their ancestry. The ultimate stamp of approval is given by the state.
Civic Entrance, an affiliation that denounces wrongdoing in public life, stated all pending nationality processes based mostly on the regulation in query needs to be suspended till the state company inquiry has concluded.
“It’s more and more evident that the naturalisation of Roman Abramovich shouldn’t be an remoted case,” it stated in a letter to the justice minister this week.
A spokeswoman for Abramovich beforehand stated he obtained citizenship “in accordance with the foundations”.
Russian-Israeli diamond oligarch Lev Leviev and Russian property developer God Nisanov are the newest high-profile Russians identified to have utilized for citizenship below the laws.
US Secretary of State Antony Blinken stated final month that Nisanov, who was hit by sanctions following Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, was “one of many richest males in Europe and an in depth affiliate of a number of Russian officers”.
The 2 males’s citizenship functions are “pending evaluation”, Portugal’s Justice Ministry stated in an announcement, with out giving additional particulars. Representatives for Leviev and Nisanov didn’t instantly reply to requests for remark.
Sanctions-hit Russian billionaire Roman Abramovich was granted citizenship in April 2021 below the identical regulation, a course of that triggered an ongoing inquiry at a state company and compelled the federal government to tighten the foundations.
Two years earlier, Russian businessman Andrei Rappoport, who has a web value of $1.2 billion in line with Forbes, additionally acquired a Portuguese passport.
Rappoport, whose representatives didn’t instantly reply to a request for remark, was recognized by the US Treasury Division in 2018 as being near Russian President Vladimir Putin.
A report in Portugal’s Publico newspaper on Wednesday stated all 4 of the oligarchs had utilized for Portuguese nationality by means of Porto’s Israeli Group (CIP), which was answerable for vetting their genealogies.
Police are investigating the CIP on suspicion of cash laundering, corruption, fraud and falsification of paperwork.
In an announcement on Friday, CIP stated the accusations have been “false” and all candidates complied with authorized necessities to acquire the certificates wanted to show their ancestry. The ultimate stamp of approval is given by the state.
Civic Entrance, an affiliation that denounces wrongdoing in public life, stated all pending nationality processes based mostly on the regulation in query needs to be suspended till the state company inquiry has concluded.
“It’s more and more evident that the naturalisation of Roman Abramovich shouldn’t be an remoted case,” it stated in a letter to the justice minister this week.
A spokeswoman for Abramovich beforehand stated he obtained citizenship “in accordance with the foundations”.