LONDON, October 22, 2015 /PRNewswire/ --
Following the Ukrainian authorities' failed attempt to intervene in President Yanukovych's application to the General Court of the EU for sanctions to be lifted, that Court has ruled that Ukraine must pay President Yanukovych's legal costs.
President Yanukovych started proceedings for the annulment of sanctions in May 2014.
Four months later the Ukrainian authorities applied to the General Court of the EU for permission to intervene in the annulment case. President Yanukovych opposed that application. Subsequently in December 2014 the Ukrainian authorities informed the Court that they were withdrawing their application.
Following an application made by President Yanukovych's legal team, the General Court ruled in March 2015 that Ukraine must pay the costs incurred by President Yanukovychopposing the Ukrainian authorities' attempt to intervene in the annulment proceedings.
The General Court's ruling has only now been made public (see link here).
President Yanukovych's annulment proceedings are continuing before the General Court.
Joe Hage of Joseph Hage Aaronson LLP, President Yanukovych's UK lawyer, said:
"This is an important ruling. President Yanukovych is challenging sanctions which were imposed by the EU on the basis of false criminal allegations made by the Ukraine regime, which he vigorously denies. The Ukraine regime's attempt to intervene in the EU sanctions proceedings was politically motivated and misguided. President Yanukovych was right to resist this, and now Ukraine must pay his legal costs.
We continue to move forward with our application to have the sanctions against President Yanukovych annulled".
Notes to Editors
On 14 May 2014 President Yanukovych lodged an annulment application with the General Court of the European Union to annul the EU sanctions against him imposed by Council Decision 2014/119/CFSP of 5 March 2014, as amended and Council Regulation (EU) 208/2014 of 5 March 2014, as amended. Joseph Hage Aaronson represents President Yanukovych in those proceedings.
On 12 January 2015 Interpol issued a Red Notice for President Yanukovych. On 16 July 2015 the Red Notice was suspended following an application made to Interpol by Joseph Hage Aaronson. See previous announcement at JHA news.
About Joseph Hage Aaronson
Joseph Hage Aaronson LLP is a litigation law firm. We act in complex and high value disputes. Our partnership comprises leading practitioners from various dispute resolution specialisms and backgrounds, including financial and commercial litigation, international arbitration and tax litigation. See http://www.jha.com/uk/
