BRUSSELS, March 20 The European Union Court of First Instance ruled to satisfy the claim former Formula 1 racer Nikita Mazepin and remove him from the sanctions lists, the court press release says.
Nikita Mazepin was included in the sanctions lists for Ukraine in March 2022 “for connections with influential Russian businessman Dmitry Mazepin, who is his father.»
«The court of first instance annuls the decisions keeping Nikita Mazepin on the list of persons subject to restrictive measures,» the document says. In particular, the court considered that the mere fact of kinship with Dmitry Mazepin does not indicate the presence of common interests that could be considered sufficient grounds for remaining on the sanctions list.
It was previously reported that Nikita Mazepin protested the decision of the EU Council to include him in the sanctions lists. In March last year, the EU Court allowed Mazepin to enter the European Union to participate in Formula 1 races, but only with the obligation to compete under a neutral flag.
The document indicated, in particular, that as an exception, Mazepin was allowed entry into the EU “to negotiate and conclude agreements with one of the racing teams or sponsors.” At the same time, Nikita Mazepin’s negotiations in the EU should not be connected with the activities of his father Dmitry Mazepin or any other persons subject to European sanctions. He was also allowed to use his bank account and credit card, but only to cover expenses related to permitted activities.
The EU personal sanctions include a ban on entry into the territory of the European Union and an asset freeze.