EU Court canceled sanctions against Pshonka and his son - Bloomberg
Viktor Pshonka (Photo: zhit.gp.gov.ua)
Ex-Prosecutor General of Ukraine Viktor Pshonka has won a case in the EU regarding his removal from the sanctions list, according to Bloomberg.
The EU General Court stated on Wednesday that it annulled the decision to impose sanctions against Pshonka and his son Artem, mentioning errors in assessment and doubts about whether they were based on a sufficiently "solid factual basis."
In its decision, the EU Court noted that it was unclear whether the bloc was convinced that the Ukrainian judicial administration respected the right to defense in local criminal proceedings.
Sanctions against Pshonka
Viktor Pshonka served as the Prosecutor General of Ukraine during the presidency of Viktor Yanukovych, who was ousted during the protests on Independence Square in February 2014.
Following the events, Yanukovych, Pshonka, his son, and other allies fled the country to Russia and were wanted in Ukraine.
The EU has imposed sanctions against nearly 1800 individuals and organizations since Russia attacked Ukraine, starting with the annexation of Crimea in 2014 and after the country's invasion in February of the previous year.
Pshonka and his son were first subjected to EU sanctions in 2014 as individuals facing criminal prosecution in Ukraine for "embezzlement of Ukrainian state funds and their illegal transfer abroad."
Pshonka was accused of corruption, office abuse, and money misappropriation. After he fled Ukraine, activists broke into his house near Kyiv, filled with luxury items, icons, and vases.
Challenging EU sanctions in courts can take years and rarely leads to a long-term victory, as the EU Council often reaffirms its decisions after losing in court.
