<div>Hřib calls for measures against the oligarch who would gain part of the revenues from the construction of the metro</div>

Prague – Prague Mayor Zdeněk Hřib (Pirates) is urging the government to take measures against Russian oligarch Oleg Deripaska, who would benefit from earnings from the construction of metro line D in Prague due to his stake in the company Strabag. This was reported today by Seznam Zprávy. Deripaska allegedly has close ties to Russian President Vladimir Putin. Since 2018, he has been on the U.S. sanctions list, and this year, following the Russian invasion of Ukraine, the United Kingdom also imposed sanctions on Deripaska. However, Deripaska is one of the few Russian oligarchs who has called for an end to the fighting in Ukraine and for a peaceful resolution to the conflict. The Ministry of Finance's response is being sought by ČTK.

Prague Public Transport (DPP) signed a contract last year with a consortium of companies Subterra, Hochtief, Strabag, Hochtief Infrastructure, and Ed. Züblin AG for the construction of the first section of metro line D for 13.75 billion crowns. Deripaska has a stake in the Austrian Strabag, which the city leadership finds problematic, according to Seznam Zprávy. "Even in an emergency situation, the city as a public contracting authority cannot interfere in an already awarded contract with a signed agreement, as this would constitute an unlawful act. However, the government can take measures, and it should; it is high time," Hřib told the server.

"The laws do not allow us to exclude anyone from the contract due to the position of one of the shareholders," said DPP General Director Petr Witowski regarding Strabag's involvement in the metro contract. However, according to Deputy Mayor for Transport Adam Scheinherr (Prague Together), the city is prepared to act if the government imposes sanctions against oligarchs. "As soon as that happens, we are in touch with the transport company and lawyers to be able to respond quickly," he told Seznam Zprávy.

"I urged the Ministry of Finance and the government to start intensively addressing the issue of Russian oligarchs and opaque ownership structures. The EU must also start addressing this effectively. Prague and other European cities cannot serve as a refuge for oligarchs who support the Putin regime, which is committing war crimes in Ukraine," added the Prague mayor.

Finance Minister Zbyněk Stanjura (ODS) previously told the media that the Czech government could propose an expansion of the European Union's sanctions list. According to him, the government is also considering cutting off some risky Russian companies from public funds.

The government's response must be as swift as possible, according to the Prague mayor. "Examples from abroad show that people from sanctions lists are moving their assets into trust funds, purposefully transferring them to relatives, or hiding them in other ways," he stated today on Twitter. "It is also necessary to seek ways to at least temporarily utilize these assets, for example, to mitigate the effects of the Russian invasion of Ukraine. Properties could, for instance, be used to enhance accommodation and educational capacities. We would greatly appreciate this at the moment in the metropolis," Hřib added.