Two Russian bankers are on the brink of being removed from the EU blacklist due to weak evidence, raising concerns about upcoming court rulings expected before summer.
The EU’s General Court in Luxembourg recently “annulled” the 2022 blacklisting of the two Russian finance chiefs in a verdict issued on Wednesday (10 April).
The EU Council was able to establish “a degree of proximity between Petr Aven and Mikhail Fridman and [Russian president] Vladimir Putin or his entourage,” the court noted.
However, the court also stated that this evidence “did not prove that they have supported actions or policies that undermine or threaten the territorial integrity, sovereignty and independence of Ukraine.”
The legal team representing Aven and Fridman, Kiejman & Marembert, commented to EUobserver: “The decisions made today are extremely important. The court correctly determined that all allegations against Mr. Mikhail Fridman and Mr. Petr Aven were unfounded.”
“Imposing sanctions on them was a mistake. They should not be on the EU’s list or any other list,” they added.
Despite this ruling, Aven and Fridman are still facing restrictions on EU travel and banking activities.
The EU Council now has two months and 10 days to decide whether to appeal the court’s decision.
Meanwhile, Aven and Fridman were also included on the EU blacklist in a separate decision in 2023, which is currently the subject of ongoing legal proceedings with no verdict date set yet,” a European Court of Justice (ECJ) spokesperson stated.
The EU Council has the option to take further action if needed.
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