Dutch company fined for participating in Crimea bridge construction

In the Netherlands, construction equipment supplier Dieseko Group BV, which illegally participated in the construction of the Crimea bridge, was fined almost EUR 1.8 million.

The prosecutor's office accused the company of violating international trade sanctions, an Ukrinform correspondent reports.

"Dieseko Group BV paid the government a total of EUR 1,780,000 as part of the out-of-court settlement. This amount consists of a fine of EUR 180,000 and seizure of illegally obtained benefits of EUR 1,600,000," the prosecutor's office said.

According to the inquiry, in the period from 2015 to 2016, the company sold installations and components for them for the construction of the Crimea bridge. In addition, Dieseko Group deployed specialists to the facility to provide technical assistance.

It is emphasized that this happened after the European Union introduced sanctions against the Russian Federation in June 2014 over the occupation of Crimea. They included a ban on the sale of goods and provision of services to individuals and legal entities in Crimea.

The prosecutor's office added that the fine closed the case. The company plead guilty and vowed not to allow such situations in the future.

As Ukrinform reported earlier, the Honorary Consul of Ukraine in the Kingdom of the Netherlands, Karel Burger Dirven, stated that seven Dutch companies participated in the construction of a bridge connecting mainland Russia with the occupied Crimea across the Kerch Strait.