11:50 20.09.2017

Ukraine, Australia, Belgium, Malaysia, Netherlands to agree on co-financing MH17 litigation

2 min read
Ukraine, Australia, Belgium, Malaysia, Netherlands to agree on co-financing MH17 litigation

Ukraine's Cabinet of Ministers plans to approve two draft memoranda between the governments of Australia, Belgium, Malaysia, the Netherlands and Ukraine on co-financing and on political support for Dutch criminal prosecution of those guilty of downing flight MH17 in Donbas on July 17, 2014.

The draft memorandum on financial support for the investigation, which is available to Interfax-Ukraine, says that the above-mentioned countries intend to agree on co-financing of an investigation involving the prosecution in the Netherlands of those liable for the MH17 crime.

Other countries whose citizens were killed in the crash may join the memorandum.

The signatories shall establish a financial supervision committee to oversee the distribution of financial contributions, consisting of five members (representatives of the Governments of Australia, Belgium, Malaysia, the Netherlands, and Ukraine).

The Netherlands will cover costs on prosecutors, the judiciary and the protection of witnesses.

The draft memorandum on political support confirms that the signatories recognize that the prosecution of those guilty of the MH17 crime in the Netherlands will be the most effective mechanism for prosecution in keeping with the highest international standards because they are confident in the quality, independence and objectivity of the judicial system of the Netherlands.

Both memorandums will be valid for five years after signing, and then will be automatically extended for another five years. If one of the signatory countries decides to withdraw from one of the memoranda, it must inform the other countries in writing.

The Malaysia Airlines plane, which was making an MH-17 flight from Amsterdam (the Netherlands) to Kuala Lumpur (Malaysia), was shot down in the sky over Donetsk region on July 17, 2014. All 298 people, including 80 children, were killed.

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