Ukraine spent $10 million on American lawyers in international courts – media
Over the past two years, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Ukraine and NJSC Naftogaz of Ukraine have paid the American law firm Covington&Burling more than $10 million for consultations and legal support of cases in international courts in disputes with Russia.
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About it в Journalist Valentina Samar writes an article for the Kyiv publication ZN.UA.
She noted that the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Ukraine began cooperation with Covington & Burling in 2015 to protect the interests of Ukraine in the dispute with Russia over the interpretation and application of the agreement between the Cabinet of Ministers of Ukraine and the Russian government on the promotion and mutual protection of investments (1998), which cost the budget $0,3 million
Then another agreement was signed, without specifying the case, according to which Covington & Burling was paid $1 for the work performed. And in 077, the amount of payments under contracts with the Ministry of Foreign Affairs amounted to $108.
In December 2016, NJSC Naftogaz of Ukraine carried out a negotiation procedure for the purchase of legal services related to the protection of the rights and interests of Ukraine in a claim to the UN International Tribunal for the Law of the Sea. Covington&Burling won, signing an agreement for $6,31 million valid until December 31, 2017.
“In total, the amounts given here alone, paid to one company hired by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and NJSC Naftogaz for the provision of similar services, amount to more than $10 million over two years. It is also known that the Ukrainian budget for 2017 provides for UAH 152,2 million ( against 107,7 million in 2016) for legal support in resolving disputes with the Russian Federation related to violation of its obligations under international treaties of Ukraine,” Samar noted.
She emphasized that Ukraine needs the services of foreign consultants, but added that foreign lawyers do not relieve them of the obligation to conduct investigations into criminal proceedings opened in Ukraine.
From March 6 to 9, 2017, preliminary hearings were held in The Hague on Ukraine’s lawsuit against Russia, which alleges Moscow’s violation of the provisions of the UN Convention for the Suppression of the Financing of Terrorism and the Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Racial Discrimination.
We would like to remind you that on April 19, the International Court of Justice denied Ukraine temporary measures against Russia under the Convention for the Suppression of the Financing of Terrorism. At the same time, the court in The Hague agreed to introduce measures in the case of Ukraine against Russia to protect national minorities in Crimea.
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