A sanctions scheme designed to target and limit activity among the shadiest comrades within Russia could inadvertently increase their business opportunities in the well-established black markets operating throughout Europe. In order to effectively implement sanctions against Russia as punishment for its destabilizing actions in Ukraine, the West must first address Russian black markets through tougher enforcement of transparency standards within their own borders and beyond. If the U.S. and EU expect current or future sanctions regimes to be effective in Russia, awareness, education, and enforcement of these transparency standards already agreed upon in international bodies must be taken more seriously. …read more
Source: The Huffington Post
