The Prosecutor General's Office (PGO) of Ukraine has commented on a decision by the Fourth Chamber of the Court of Justice of the European Union to cancel restrictive measures against former Ukrainian Prime Minister Mykola Azarov, saying his assets in Ukraine and abroad are still frozen in criminal cases.
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"Almost all assets of former high-ranking officials (allies) of the [former Ukrainian President Viktor] Yanukovych regime, including those of Azarov, have been frozen as part of relevant criminal proceedings both in Ukraine and abroad. The mentioned assets in criminal proceedings will continue to be frozen regardless of the effect of administrative sanctions by the EU and Switzerland," the PGO's press secretary Andriy Lysenko wrote on Facebook.
He noted that assets could be returned to Ukraine after the relevant court decisions come into force.
Lysenko also assured that the fact that the court had cancelled the EU Council's decisions on sanctions against certain individuals did not affect the EU's current sanctions regime.
According to the PGO, EU administrative sanctions are applicable to 13 Ukrainian former high-ranking officials, while 18 individuals are subject to sanctions in Switzerland.
Lysenko also recalled the Swiss government had decided to extend sanctions against former President Viktor Yanukovych's allies for another year.
