Russian entrepreneur Gutseriev removed from EU sanctions list related to Belarus

MINSK. Oct 14 (Interfax) - Russian entrepreneur Mikhail Gutseriev has been removed from the European Union's sanctions list related to Belarus; the corresponding decision of the EU Council was published on Wednesday in the Official Journal of the European Union.

According to the decision, the entry 'Gutseriev Mikhail Safarbekovich' was removed from the list given in the natural persons section of the annex to Decision 2012/642/CFSP - the EU Council decision establishing restrictive measures in respect of Belarus.

The same document also removed Belarusian entrepreneur Viktor Shevtsov from the list.

Previously, in May this year, the General Court of the European Union granted Gutseriev's lawsuit seeking the annulment of the European Union's restrictive measures against him. The EU court concluded that Brussels made a mistake when it concluded that Gutseriev still receives personal benefit from contacts with the Belarusian authorities and continues to support their actions. In this connection, the court ruled to annul the extension of sanctions against the businessman and ordered the EU Council to pay the court costs.

At the same time, the European Union included Gutseriev in the 21st package of anti-Russian sanctions in July.