EU sanctions have hit the construction of the Dance Palace of Russian choreographer Boris Eifman in St. Petersburg.
The Arbitration Court of St. Petersburg and the Leningrad Region satisfied the claim of the Kosour company against the Restorer Construction Company, deciding to recover 382 million rubles from the Restorer IC in favor of Kosour and a penalty of 35 million rubles (about 4 million euros in total).
In 2021, the companies signed an agreement according to which Restorer was to develop, manufacture and supply products made of natural stone – marbled limestone for the facades of the buildings of the Eifman’s Dance Palace and the engineering block.
But there were problems with the supply of the stone. Restorer company explained everything by the EU sanctions against Russia, which were introduced in April 2022 and strengthened in June 2023.
In support of this statement, Restorer Construction provided letters from its contractors, including Portuguese company Stonimpar Unipessoal Lda. According to Stonimpar’s letter, due to strengthening of sanctions, it would be impossible to supply stones in previously planned volumes and there is a risk of termination of contract due to impossibility of further execution.
According to court materials, by the time sanctions were strengthened at end of June 2023, defendant had to deliver goods in amount of 1.176.530.752 RUB. Meanwhile, defendant delivered goods only in amount 754.62.459 RUB. That is, at time when sanctions were strengthened defendant delayed delivery of goods by 421.868.293 RUB.
The Dance Palace, which is to house the theater of Russian choreographer Boris Eifman, is being built in St. Petersburg with funds from the Russian state budget. Boris Eifman is often praised by Vladimir Putin. In 2013, Vladimir Putin openly told Boris Eifman that te project of the Dance Palace would be implemented.
