A few days after the judgment of the General Court of the European Union, EU member states lifted the sanctions imposed on the Russian businessman Aleksandr Szulgin in connection with the war in Ukraine. Penalties against entrepreneurs Farkhad Akhmedov and Grigory Beryozkin were also abolished. In the case of all three, the basis for sanctions was found to be too narrow.
Risk of legal success
The EU originally justified the sanctions against Shulgin on the grounds that he was the managing director of a Russian electronics trading platform. This means that he was active in areas that were an important source of income for Russia. Alexander Shulgin also took part in a meeting of oligarchs with President Vladimir Putin in February 2022, which was considered evidence that he supports political actions that threaten Ukraine’s territorial sovereignty.
In the case of Farkhad Akhmedov and Grigory Beryozkin, the EU apparently also recognized the risk that they would succeed in lawsuits against the sanctions imposed on them. Beryozkin was included on the EU sanctions list as a “supporter” of President Putin. Akhmedov was also accused of having close ties with the Kremlin.
Moscow: “They are traitors”
However, it is doubtful whether, in the light of Putin’s spokesman’s statements, the above-mentioned people can actually be happy with the EU’s decision. Dmitry Peskov placed some of the people complaining about EU sanctions on one list with people who recently had to fear for their lives in Russia.
– We know that there are entrepreneurs who lower themselves to take anti-Russian positions and try (…) to get out of sanctions – he said in Moscow, adding: “They are traitors.” However, he did not clarify whether he also meant Shulgin, Akhmedov and Beryozkin.
The Kremlin spokesman also noted: “There are entrepreneurs who systematically and methodically defend their interests in court. This is the right of every entrepreneur and we treat it with respect.”
There has been no official statement from the EU regarding the lifting of sanctions yet. Diplomats pointed out that at the same time, penalties against hundreds of other people and companies have been extended until March 15, 2024. In total, almost 1,800 people and organizations are still affected.
EU sanctions include travel restrictions. In addition, the assets of affected individuals in the EU must be frozen and the provision of money or other economic resources to them is prohibited. (dpa/like)
Source: Gazeta
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