Taras Kuzio: Austria’s ruling means Ukraine will remain a country where crime pays
Dmytro Firtash (L), one of Ukraine's most influential oligarchs attends a trial on April 30, 2015 in Vienna.
Austria's refusal to extradite Dmitry Firtashto the US is confirmation that Europe holds two contradictory positions on corruption. While the European Union urges Ukraine to fight corruption, some of its member states – such as Latvia, Cyprus (still the largest "foreign investor" into Ukraine), the UK, Austria, France, Monaco and Switzerland, along with Caribbean offshore zones such as the Virgin Islands – continue to enjoy the fruits of corrupt proceeds that are laundered abroad.
