The EU Court has annulled the European Union’s sanctions decisions against Russian oligarchs Mikhail Fridman and Pyotr Aven. The sanctions decisions were taken in response to Russia’s war of aggression against Ukraine.
The judges ruled on Wednesday in Luxembourg that the Council of the EU had not provided sufficient evidence for inclusion on the sanctions list in its rulings between February 2022 and March 2023.
It was possible to show that there were close ties with Russian President Vladimir Putin, but not that the two oligarchs “supported actions and political measures that undermined or threatened the territorial integrity, sovereignty and independence of Ukraine,” it said in a report from Send out the EU. court.
No immediate removal from the sanctions list
However, the decision does not mean that Fridman and Awen should be immediately removed from the EU sanctions list. On the one hand, the judgment can still be handed down before the highest European court, the European Court of Justice (ECJ), – but only on legal issues, not on the substance. In addition, the Council of the EU has already issued new sanctions decisions against the two men, who will initially not be affected by the verdict.
Financial support from billionaires?
Fridman and Awen are founders and major shareholders of the large financial group Alfa-Group. The EU imposed punitive measures against the billionaires shortly after Russia’s attack on Ukraine in February 2022. She froze money and issued a travel ban. The US government has also sanctioned them. Last year, however, several Russian opposition figures spoke out in favor of removing Fridman and others from the sanctions list.
The EU justified the sanctions by saying that Fridman and Awen had financially supported Russian decision-makers and thus undermined Ukraine’s territorial integrity. However, the judges now ruled that these allegations were not sufficiently substantiated and that inclusion on the list was therefore not justified. Even if it is possible to confirm that the two people are somewhat close to Russian President Putin, this does not prove that this supports measures that threaten Ukraine.
Several sanctions have already been reversed
Almost three weeks ago, the EU court overturned the sanctions against ex-Formula 1 driver Nikita Masepin. The reason for this was that the family relationship with his father – a businessman who allegedly had close friendly relations with Putin – was not sufficient to assume that he was connected to the head of state by common interests.
A prominent judgment had already been handed down last year – and that meant a clear defeat for the EU. Violetta Prigoschina, the mother of Yevgeny Prigoshin, the now deceased head of Russia’s Wagner private army, should not have been sanctioned, the judges ruled during the hearing. Time argued in the same way as Masepin: a family relationship was not enough to impose punitive measures against them. Meanwhile, many other people who were sanctioned have temporarily failed in their lawsuits, including the former owner of England’s Chelsea FC, Roman Abramowitsch.
Dozens of lawsuits are pending
Due to Russia’s war of aggression against Ukraine, the EU has so far imposed sanctions on almost 2,000 people and organizations. There are currently several dozen lawsuits pending in the courts against the punitive measures.
Source: Krone
I am Wallace Jones, an experienced journalist. I specialize in writing for the world section of Today Times Live. With over a decade of experience, I have developed an eye for detail when it comes to reporting on local and global stories. My passion lies in uncovering the truth through my investigative skills and creating thought-provoking content that resonates with readers worldwide.
