Lithuania clarifies: Peftiev was allowed to pay for lawyers

The paid lawyers, for their part, will appeal against the EU sanctions imposed on the oligarch.

The Vilnius Regional Administrative Court delievered a judgement yesterday to unfreeze money on accounts aimed at Lawin firm to pay for Valdimir Peftiev's lawyers. We remind the Lithuanian law firm represented oligarch's interest in four lawsuits against the EU Council filed last year to lift sanctions from Peftiev and his companies.

Politologist Vytis Jurkonis from the Eastern Europe Studies Centre (Vilnius) is confident the court decision will not impact the European sanctions. He expressed this opinion in an  interview for Radio Svaboda.

“Two cases were considered by the court. A decision was taken only in one of them having relation to the company that defends Peftiev's interests. The decision related to the possibility of using the money transferred to company's account by Peftiev. It does not influence Brussels sanctions. Of course, a Lithuanian court cannot annul a decision of Brussels,” the politologist said.

Vytas Jurkonis explained that Lawin firm was unable to use the money paid by Peftiev for firm's legal services.

“The money belonged to Lithuanian firm Lawin. It was allocated specially for legal defence of Peftiev's interests. The question was to allow them to use this money. It will  have no impact on Brussels sanctions or Lithuania's foreign policy,” he said.

As charter97.org reported, the EU imposed visa and economic restrictions on Lukashenka and his oligarchs in response to harassment of the opposition by the regime and human rights abuses in the country.