"There are no doubts about the need to execute decisions by the ECHR, but the extent is limited. If human rights are violated, the judgment needs to be implemented. But ECHR decisions that point out 'flaws' in national legislation, stipulate changes in national legislation, cannot be unquestionably implemented," Krotov said.
This remark came after Russian lawmakers filed a request to the national constitutional court to determine jurisdiction of the Strasbourg-based human rights court in the country. The court was meeting Wednesday to look into the matter.
Krotov said Russia was not liable to act on court rulings if they ran counter to its constitution. "The ECHR cannot hold a state liable for something that violates its public order. It is impossible," he claimed.
In July 2014, Europe’s top human rights court ruled that Russia must pay about $2 billion to shareholders of the country’s now-defunct energy company Yukos that was declared bankrupt in 2006 and absorbed into state-owned Rosneft. In June, France ad Belgium froze some of the Russian state assets under the ruling.
The Russian Justice Ministry said it would not comply since the court’s decision violated Russia’s constitution.
