Former MP Vadym Novynskyi, who is suspected of high treason in Ukraine, has been granted Serbian citizenship, the Balkan Service of Radio Free Europe reports.
It notes that the decision to grant Novynskyi citizenship was published on Friday in the Official Gazette. Prior to that, the document was signed by Serbian Prime Minister Djuro Macut.
In the decision, which provides for bypassing the usual procedures, the Serbian government refers to a provision of the law under which a foreign national may obtain Serbian citizenship under an accelerated procedure if this is in the state’s “interest”.
By the time the article was published, the government had not answered Radio Free Europe’s questions as to why Novynskyi was granted citizenship and what exactly his benefit to Serbia is. Serbia’s Ministry of the Interior also did not comment.
This means Novynskyi has found himself among hundreds of foreign nationals to whom the Serbian authorities have issued Serbian passports under an accelerated procedure.
Since the start of Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine, more than 300 Russian citizens have also obtained Serbian citizenship in this way. Radio Free Europe previously established that many of them are close to Vladimir Putin’s regime. Among the new holders of Serbian passports were also Russian public figures, politicians and businessmen who are on Western countries’ “blacklists” for supporting the war. At the same time, this is not the final figure, as citizenship is also granted by the Ministry of the Interior — under the standard procedure and subject to meeting certain requirements. Because of this, official Belgrade is under close scrutiny from the European Union.
Brussels has warned that a Serbian passport allows Russian citizens visa-free entry to the EU, which potentially poses a security risk.
Who Is Vadym Novynskyi?
- Novynskyi is a former Ukrainian MP who was served with a notice of suspicion of high treason in January last year.
- He followed the instructions of the head of the Russian Orthodox Church, Patriarch Kirill (Gundyaev), maintained close contact with him for a long time and was in his hierarchical subordination — that is, he was a so-called “curator” on behalf of the Russian Orthodox Church and in effect a representative of a religious organisation of a foreign state in Ukraine.
- After the start of the Russian army’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine, he resigned his mandate and is currently in hiding abroad.
- Novynskyi, along with nine other individuals linked to the Ukrainian Orthodox Church (Moscow Patriarchate), was added to the sanctions list drawn up by the National Security and Defence Council as part of an initiative to ban religious organisations linked to Russia. The decision was taken after a large number of anti-Ukrainian propaganda materials were found to have been circulated among clergy and believers of the Ukrainian Orthodox Church (Moscow Patriarchate). The former MP said he would challenge the decision in court.
- Novynskyi has also been served with a notice of suspicion of failing to pay UAH 4.3bn in taxes.