Crimean Museums struggling to hire legal team for Scythian Gold case

This was announced on Facebook by Ukraine’s First Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs, Emine Dzhaparova, Ukrinform reports.

"September 14, 2022 we received from the so-called Crimean Museums a request to extend by two months the deadline for submitting written explanations. It was based on the fact that the ‘museums’ could not find a legal adviser who would be ready to represent their interests in the cassation instance," Dzhaparova said, adding that their previous legal adviser refused to represent their interests as early as May last year.

According to her, the Supreme Court of the Netherlands refused to grant the defendant's motion.

As stated in the petition, Dzheppar added, the "museums" even turned to the Hague Bar Association with a request to provide a representative, but the Association refused to assist them in this matter.

"Crimean Museums" believe that the refusal by the Hague Bar Association violates their constitutional rights, and intend to challenge it in the competent courts of the Netherlands. I wonder if they will find a lawyer for these purposes?" Dheppar said.

The Deputy Minister for Foreign Affairs noted that this case is one of the consequences of Russia's treacherous invasion and occupation of Crimea in 2014.

"Its essence is that the ‘Crimean Museums’ filed a lawsuit against the Allard Pearson Museum in Amsterdam in order to have a number of exhibits from the ‘Crimea. The Golden Island in the Black Sea’ collection returned to them. I emphasize the word ‘so-called’ because, in fact, the plaintiffs have nothing to do with those institutions to which, until 2014, these exhibits were transferred under the right of operational management of the state of Ukraine. These are legal phantoms that existed only on paper in the courtroom," Dzhaparova stressed.

As reported, the Supreme Court of the Netherlands is expected announce the decision in the case of the Scythian Gold ownership on September 15.