The business upholds Ukraine’s legal requirements and defends the rights of those Ukrainians who have backed the appeal to lift the sanctions.
Parimatch is a business based in Ukraine. We have faith in Ukraine. We trust the Armed Forces of Ukraine.
The National Security and Defense Council of Ukraine imposed sanctions on the Parimatch group of companies that were unwarranted and constituted a clear and flagrant breach of the Law of Ukraine “On Sanctions” (also known as the Sanctions Law).
Sanctions are an «exceptional, temporary, extreme, and necessary (not accidental) measure,» according to the Supreme Court, and they are only used for the purposes specified in the Sanctions Law. These justifications must be legitimate, backed up by proof, and accurately point to the commission of only the offenses listed in Article 3 of the Sanctions Law, specifically:
1) Actions taken by a foreign state, foreign legal entity or private individual, or other entities that pose actual and/or potential threats to national interests, national security, sovereignty and territorial integrity of Ukraine, encourage terrorism and/or violate the rights and freedoms of human beings and citizens, the interests of society and the state, result in occupation of territory, expropriation or restriction of property rights, cause property losses, or obstruct sustainable economic development, and full exercise by Ukrainian citizens of their rights and freedoms.
2) Resolutions of the General Assembly and Security Council of the United Nations.
3) Decisions and regulations of the European Union Council.
4) Facts of violations of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights and the Charter of the United Nations.
The decision of the National Security and Defense Council (NSDC) and the corresponding decree of the President of Ukraine do not contain any grounds for imposing sanctions on the Parimatch group of companies in accordance with Article 3 of the Sanctions Law.
The Parimatch group of companies has never created a real or potential threat to national interests, national security, sovereignty, or the territorial integrity of Ukraine or any other state. The Parimatch group of companies has not supported any terrorist activities, violated human rights, or harmed the interests of Ukrainian society and the state. It is unreasonable to suggest that the legitimate actions of the Parimatch group of companies are related to the occupation of territory, expropriation, or restriction of property rights, loss of property, creating obstacles to sustainable economic development, or preventing Ukrainian citizens from exercising their rights and freedoms.
In addition, there is no decision by the United Nations, the European Union, or any other international organization or institution that imposes sanctions on the Parimatch group of companies or in any way questions its legitimate activities. It is equally absurd to suggest that the Parimatch group of companies violates the Universal Declaration of Human Rights or the UN Charter.
According to the media reports, the sanctions were allegedly imposed on the Parimatch group of companies for its relations with the russian federation. However, these rumours are practically unfounded. Parimatch has no relationship with the russian federation.
Firstly, there are no citizens or legal entities of the russian federation who directly or indirectly own shares in the Parimatch group or affect business activities of the group. In addition, Ukrainian companies within Parimatch have owned licenses for organizing and conducting gambling activities in Ukraine throughout the entire period and were therefore under the close supervision of the Commission for the Regulation of Gambling and Lotteries. Since the Commission controls the presence of beneficial owners or shareholders who are citizens or residents of an aggressor state, the Commission’s strict supervision does not allow citizens or residents of the russian federation to enter the ownership structure of Parimatch.
Secondly, Parimatch does not operate in Russia, does not earn income from russia, nor does it pay for services from russian companies. Shortly after the full-scale invasion of 2022/3, the Parimatch ended even with limited legacy cooperation with russian companies at the time, which was negligible and limited to technical assistance. This was fully disclosed at the time and publicly announced.