A former top manager from Libya with close ties to his country's leadership had his assets in Europe unfrozen Friday after his spokesman said he had turned his back on the Moamer Gaddafi regime, DPA reported.
Mostafa Zarti had been appealing the blocking of his Austrian bank accounts, arguing that he had resigned from his posts and that he had no intention to shore up funds for Gaddafi in Europe.
Zarti also holds an Austrian passport.
His name was struck off the European Union's sanctions list, but the bloc did not say why the ban was lifted.
"Mustafa Zarti was the first leading manager of a Libyan state enterprise who turned his back on the Gaddafi regime," his Vienna spokesman said.
Zarti held executive positions at the Libyan Investment Authority and the National Oil Corporation, among others.
Also on Friday, previously agreed EU sanctions against six port authorities in Libya came into force as part of efforts to increase the pressure on Gaddafi's embattled regime.
An asset freeze has now been levied on the port authority of the capital Tripoli, as well as those in the cities of al-Khums, Brega, Ras Lanuf, Zawiyah and Zuwarah.
The fresh sanctions add to an existing arms embargo and expand a list of Libyan enterprises and regime members subject to asset freezes and travel bans.