(VOVworld) – On Thursday, Russian President Vladimir Putin rejected any suggestion of corruption by the Panama Papers leaks.

Russian President Vladimir Putin rejected any suggestion of corruption by the Panama Papers leaks. (Photo: AFP/TTXVN)

At a media forum in St. Petersburg, Putin said the leaks are part of a plot to destabilize Russia with baseless accusations. He said on TV that Russia’s enemies are worried by the solidarity of the Russian nation and are attempting to sabotage Russia from within by making publishing false information. On Monday, the Russian government rejected accusations against Putin’s associates of money laundering and tax evasion aided by the Panama-based law firm Mossack Fonseca.

On Wednesday, Argentinian Federal Prosecutor Federico Delgado asked for authorization to investigate President Mauricio Macri, whose name appeared in the “Panama Papers” leaks.

The European Union (EU) has threatened to sanction countries like Panama if they continue to refuse to co-operate fully in fighting money laundering and tax evasion. Pierre Moscovici, Commissioner for Economic and Financial Affairs, Taxation and Customs, said the EU has to be ready to punish them with appropriate sanctions if they refuse to cooperate. Panama has been listed by the EU as a country that is not co-operative on tax issues.