Ivan McKee

To help strengthen economic sanctions imposed on Russia following the illegal invasion of Ukraine, guidance has been published on how to reject bids to procure a contract for goods or services from firms which are established in Russia and Belarus.

This also applies to companies with substantial business operations in Russia, as well as those under the control of a person with links to the Russian regime.

Business minister Ivan McKee said: “The Scottish Government has been clear since the beginning of the illegal invasion of Ukraine, that the business community has a moral responsibility to take economic action by reviewing operations for links and connections to Russia – and severing them where it is possible to do so.

“While it is up to the contracting authority as decision-maker to make an informed, rounded, case-specific assessment, this guidance will ensure public bodies can exclude companies from new contracts, or terminate existing ones, if the bidder has connections to the Russian regime.”