Getting your Trinity Audio player ready...

Gov. Roy Cooper on Monday signed an executive order that directs state government agencies and departments to review all existing contracts and operations and to terminate any agreements or operations that directly benefit Russian entities. The order comes in the wake of Russia’s invasion of Ukraine.

“The invasion of Ukraine is an attack on a free people,” Cooper said. “This order sends a strong message and helps ensure no public dollars or operations from North Carolina will benefit Russia and its unjustified aggression. Our state stands in solidarity with the people of Ukraine as they fight courageously against a tyrant to defend their country, their democracy and their freedom.”

The Executive Order covers all state government agencies and departments over which the Governor has executive authority, as well as state entities for which the Governor appoints the chief executive or a majority of the board members.

A press release from Cooper’s office said other state entities and local governments in North Carolina are “strongly encouraged” to adopt similar policies, including divesting from Russian assets to ensure that public dollars and operations do not benefit Russia and avoiding new contracts with Russian entities.

This order includes, but is not limited to:

·      Alcohol sales: The North Carolina ABC Commission is directed to review its list of approved products for any produced by Russian Entities and to suspend the approval of such products as quickly as practicable.

·      Purchase & Contract: The Department of Administration, Division of Purchase & Contract, is directed to terminate any such contracts with Russian entities as quickly as practicable if they are identified.

Currently available information from the North Carolina ABC Commission suggests that three alcohol brands – Hammer & Sickle, Beluga, and Russian Standard – would be subject to the executive order, according to the release.