Poland bans Russian coal

The office of Polish President Andrzej Duda said on Friday that he signed a bill into law that allows the assets of business entities that support Russia to be frozen. The document also provides for a ban on imports of Russian coal.

“The law on special measures” was adopted to protect national security, the document said.

It provides for a freezing of funds and other assets of individuals and legal entities, which will be included in a special list maintained by the Ministry of Internal Affairs and Administration. The ministry will update the list on its own or at the request of special services and other government bodies.

The ban on the import of Russian coal to Poland also applies to private firms. Failure to comply with it will lead to penalties, which include imprisonment.

Since the start of the military conflict in Ukraine, Warsaw has been calling for a complete ban on Russian energy. Last month, the EU nation said it will end all Russian energy imports, including oil, gas, and coal by the end of 2022.

Russia dominates Polish coal imports, accounting for about 20% of domestic use. Around 9.4 million tons of Russian coal was imported to Poland in 2020 and used mostly to heat individual households. The nation also imports 50% of its gas and over 60% of the oil it refines from Russia.

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