LUXEMBOURG (Pakistan Point News / Sputnik - 12th July, 2023) The Court of Justice of the European Union has started a hearing in a lawsuit filed by Russian businessman Roman Abramovich, in which he seeks to overturn EU sanctions imposed on him in light of Russia's military operation in Ukraine, a RIA Novosti correspondent reported.
A source at the court told the RIA Novosti correspondent that Abramovich did not arrive for the hearing, as he never did for other hearings in the lawsuits involving him.
The hearing started with a speech by Abramovich's lawyer, who said that putting him on the sanctions list was a mistake as he does not meet all required criteria.
"The fact that Ambramovich is a minority shareholder in a large Russian corporation is not a criteria for putting him on the sanction list," the lawyer said, adding that the billionaire�has not been conducting business activity in Russia for the last 20 years. He added that Russian steelmaker Evraz Group, 28% of whose shares Abramovich holds, has a significant operation outside Russia.
He also assumed that one of the reasons for imposing sanctions on Abramovich was his popularity in Europe, especially due to acquisition of Chelsea F.C.�in 2004, in which the billionaire had invested more than 1.5 billion Pounds ($1.65 billion) before selling it in May 2022.
A representative of the Council of the EU said that despite the fact that Abramovich does not reside in Russia, he remains a prominent Russian businessman. In particular, the representative pointed to the billionaire's shares in a company with mostly Russian employees. Besides that, the EU official noted, attempted mediation in the conflict between Russia and Ukraine points at Abramovich's close ties with the Russian government.
On March 15, 2022, the Council of the European Union imposed personal sanctions against several Russian businessmen, including Abramovich, on� account of their alleged support for the Russian operation in Ukraine. His lawyers demand this decision be canceled. According to the documents on the court's website, the defense insists on moral compensation of 1 million Euros ($1.1 million). This compensation, however, should be sent to the charity fund created after the selling of Chelsea F.C. due to the sanctions.
Personal sanctions by the EU imply the freezing of all European assets and a ban on travel to the EU countries.
