EU plans to blacklist Saudi Arabia for money laundering

SANAA, Feb. 8 (YPA) – The European Commission is planning to name Saudi Arabia in a list of countries that have failed to fight against terrorist financing and money laundering, the Financial Times reported Friday.

Brussels is in the final stages of adopting the list, which will include 23 countries and jurisdictions who failed to combat “dirty money,” the Financial Times quoted European Union officials as saying Friday.

The report confirmed that the Saudi government and its allies, including the United States, pressed Brussels to remove Riyadh from the list.

According to a memorandum seen by “The Financial Times” revealing that European countries led by Britain, including France, Spain, Italy, Belgium and Greece, criticized the draft at a meeting of ambassadors this week.

E.M