A Dutch court ruled to give “Crimean gold” to Ukraine: Russia is preparing an appeal
The Amsterdam District Court decided to transfer the exhibits of the exhibition “Crimea: Gold and Secrets of the Black Sea” to Ukraine. The corresponding decision was announced today by Judge Dudok van Heel at a meeting in the District Court of Amsterdam.
Vice-President of the International Association of Russian-Speaking Lawyers Mikhail Yoffe believes that in the decision the political meaning prevails over legal norms.
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“In this case there were a number of circumstances that indicated that this property belonged to Crimea. Another thing is that the status of Crimea has changed, but this does not change the contractual relations that existed at the time the exhibits were exported to Holland. Apparently, the judge was based on her personal vision of Crimea’s ownership,” Joffe said in an interview with Sputnik radio.
First Deputy Minister of Information of Ukraine Emine Dzhaparova claims that the Dutch court, by its decision, recognized the “occupation of Crimea.”
“In our case, no one except the state of Ukraine, neither the museum nor the Autonomous Republic of Crimea can claim to be the owners of the artifacts. The court had a very clear and strong message, also insisting on the fact of occupation. That is a victory,” Japarova wrote on her Facebook page.
For some reason, the Ukrainian official doubts that Russia will “extend the pleasure” and file an appeal.
At the same time, the Minister of Culture of the Republic of Crimea, Arina Novoselskaya, has already stated that Crimean museums will challenge the decision. The Crimean authorities will insist on the return of the exhibits, confirmed Deputy Prime Minister of the Republic Georgy Muradov.
The Ministry of Culture of the Russian Federation noted that “the court ignored the principle of preserving archaeological finds in inextricable connection with the history and culture of the area from which they come.”
Exhibits from Crimean museums were used to design the exhibition “Crimea: Gold and Secrets of the Black Sea,” which was held at the Allard Pearson Museum from February to August 2014.
Among the museums whose exhibits are now located in Amsterdam are the Central Museum of Taurida, the Kerch Historical and Cultural Reserve, the Bakhchisarai Historical and Cultural Reserve and the Tauride Chersonese National Reserve.
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