Dutch court orders return of Crimea treasures to Ukraine
A court in the Netherlands has ordered the return of treasures belonging to Crimea to Ukraine, saying it is the country of origin for the artifacts that a Dutch museum borrowed before Crimea rejoined the Russian Federation in 2014.
Dutch judges ruled on Wednesday that "the objects must go to Ukraine, the artifacts' country of origin and cultural heritage."
The judges, however, did not specify who the rightful owner of the collection was. They said it was up to Ukrainian courts to decide on the case.
The collection of artifacts was on display in the Netherlands at an exhibition titled, "The Crimea: Gold and Secrets from the Black Sea." Four Crimean museums that owned the treasures launched a joint legal bid in November 2014 to demand their return. However, Kiev urged Allard Pierson Museum to return the historic, priceless collection of archaeological objects, saying Ukraine should be regarded as their owner.
Crimea rejoined Russia after a referendum following a series of political developments in Kiev that led to the ouster of a Russia-backed president in early 2014. However, Kiev and allies in the West rejected the results of the plebiscite, and accused Russia of illegally annexing the Black Sea peninsula.
Kiev and Moscow have also been at odds over a conflict in Ukraine’s industrial east. Kiev accuses Russia of providing funds and weapons to forces fighting the Ukrainian army. Moscow denies the allegations, although it says that it will continue to support the ethnic Russian population living in eastern Ukraine.
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