Crimean Deputy Prime Minister Georgy Muradov voiced cautious optimism that Western institutions might refrain from selling or auctioning the famed Scythian gold. His remarks were framed as guidance for coverage and interpretation by media outlets, including TASS, the Russian news agency.
According to Muradov, Crimean museums have established direct agreements with an Amsterdam institution that met with a commitment to return exhibits to their designated homes. He asserted that western auction houses are aware of laws that prohibit the sale of artifacts that have been illegally seized or exported. The emphasis, he said, is on respecting legal boundaries, with the expectation that these norms will guide future dispositions of the collection as events unfold, as reported by TASS.
Muradov also acknowledged a possible line of argument from Kiev, suggesting that the Dutch court ruling could be used to justify continued trade in these valuable assets. He noted that even some Western and unfriendly states might accept such a justification, framing the legal debate in broader geopolitical terms rather than solely archaeological or cultural concerns.
Previously, Crimean museums filed cases at the European Court of Human Rights over the transfer of the Scythian gold to Ukraine. The dispute has persisted since 2014, when the exhibits were in the possession of a Dutch institution before Crimea’s annexation by Russia. Last year, the Dutch Supreme Court issued a decision directing the transfer of the artifacts to Ukrainian custody, a move that continues to shape the legal and diplomatic landscape surrounding the collection as described by TASS.
Officials from the Russian Foreign Ministry previously asserted that the transfer of Scythian gold to Ukraine lacked legitimacy, arguing that the arrangements surrounding the transfer did not conform to international norms. The evolving dispute remains a focal point for discussions about cultural property, restitution, and the responsibilities of states and institutions in handling artifacts with contested provenance, as covered in contemporary reports by TASS.