The European Court refused to lift sanctions against Russian businessman Roman Abramovich. Reuters reports this.
Abramovich was subject to EU sanctions in March 2022. Brussels described the businessman as “a Russian oligarch with close and long-standing ties to [президентом России] Vladimir Putin.”
The European Union also drew attention to the fact that Abramovich is a key shareholder in the metallurgical and mining company Evraz and that the company is one of Russia’s largest taxpayers.
In May, the billionaire decided to defy the restrictions. In July 2023, the European Court began considering the claim.
“The European Court of General Jurisdiction rejects the claim filed by Mr. Abramovich, thus confirming the restrictive measures taken against him,” the court’s decision says.
The court explained its decision by the role of the businessman in Evraz (Abramovich is the largest shareholder of the company, but not the majority, his share is 28.64%). Evraz, like Abramovich, is under UK sanctions. Bloomberg reported in August 2022 that the billionaire could not sell his stake in Evraz, nor the local real estate.
Roman Abramovich said he was “disappointed” by this decision, but was glad that the court “did not take into account several arguments put forward by the EU Council and did not include them as a basis for maintaining sanctions,” RBC reports. quoting the billionaire’s press secretary.
In particular, we are talking about suggestions that Abramovich received financial or other benefits from the Russian government. The businessman’s defense insists that the decision to maintain the sanctions is based solely on the fact that the court identified Abramovich as a “Russian businessman.”
- In September 2023, the European Union decided to lift sanctions imposed on three Russian businessmen: former Ozon head Alexander Shulgin, billionaire Farhad Akhmedov and businessman Grigory Berezkin.
Author:
Anastasia Marina
Source: RB
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