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Crimean museums demand return of Scythian gold collection to Crimea

Collection of more than 2,000 unique exhibits remains in Amsterdam

SIMFEROPOL, Crimea, November 26 /TASS/. Four Crimean museums have filed a lawsuit in Amsterdam demanding a return of the Scythian gold collection to Crimea, Andrei Malgin, director of Tavrida’s Central Museum, told TASS on Wednesday.

A collection of more than 2,000 unique exhibits was put on view in Amsterdam early in February 2014. It was supposed to return to Crimea before June 1, 2014. However, the Netherlands suspended the process soon after Crimea reunited with Russia in March this year so that Russia and Ukraine could settle their legal disputes. The collection of Scythian gold has been claimed by both countries.

The Crimean museums have stressed it many times that they have the right to claim the collection back because all the exhibits had been found in the peninsula’s territory and stored in Crimean museums.

Tavrida’s Central Museum, the Kerch Historical and Cultural Reserve, the Bakhchisaray Historical and Cultural Reserve and the Khersones Tavrichesky National Reserve have provided exhibits for the exhibition in Amsterdam.

Exhibits of the Kiev Museum which were also on view in the Dutch capital were returned to Ukraine in September.