Court allows Russia not to pay 2 bln euros to Yukos owners

MOSCOW, Jan 19 (PRIME) -- The Russian Constitutional Court has allowed the government not to fulfill the European Court of Human Rights’ decision on a 1.86 billion euro compensation to shareholders of defunct oil company Yukos, according to information obtained by PRIME at court on Thursday.

The court said that the ruling contradicts the Russian constitution, and Moscow has the right to reject the liabilities imposed on it if this is the only way to not violate the сonstitution, Court Chairman Valery Zorkin said.

In 2003, the Russian government accused management of Yukos of economic crimes. Several company officials were sentenced to jail for fraud and tax evasion. Its core owner, Mikhail Khodorkovsky, spent 10 years in jail before he was pardoned by President Vladimir Putin in December 2013. The company was declared bankrupt, and its assets were sold to state-owned Rosneft.

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