On 29 of January 2019 the Tribunal de Grande Instance of Nice, France, granted Sergei Pugachev’s claim against the Russian Federation (represented in this case by a governmental agency).
In 2018 Sergei Pugachev initiated legal action against the Russian Federation before the Court of first instance (Tribunal de Grande Instance) of Nice, on the ground, sustained by his lawyers Anne-Jessica Fauré and Mazvydas Michalauskas, that the governmental agency acting on behalf of the Russian Federation has no right to sue Mr Pugachev in France.
All legal proceedings and actions launched by the Russian authorities against Sergei Pugachev before various jurisdictions are nothing but attempts to prevent the examination of the case filed by Mr Pugachev’s against the Russian Federation before the International Court at The Hague. Indeed, Russia’s actions are aimed at deflecting the attention as well as the intellectual and material resources of Mr Pugachev and his lawyers from the proceedings at The Hague.
On 10 December 2014 Mr Pugachev, faced with the expropriation of this assets by the Russian authorities that began in the early 2000, initiated proceedings against the Russian Federation before the Court at The Hague, based on the bilateral agreement on the protection and promotion of foreign investments concluded between France and the Russian Federation. The claim amounts to 12 billion dollars. Mr Pugachev’s interests are represented in France by the law firm Betto Seraglini.
Notwithstanding various attempts by Russia and its lawyers (White&Case, Hogan Lovells, London) to delay the examination of the case, as well as various claims filed against Mr Pugachev in different jurisdictions, the proceedings at The Hague are progressing in accordance with the established schedule.
The Nice Court ruled that the decision of the Russian court dated 30 April 2015, that condemns Mr Pugachev to pay over one billion dollars, was rendered in blatant violation of the law (the decision was rendered by a single judge, whereas it ought to have been rendered by a panel of three judges). The latter decision of the Russian court is, therefore, illegal in Russia, and furthermore can have no legal consequences outside the territory of the Russian Federation.
Sergei Pugachev’s press service