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Crimea and Sevastopol

Crimea to continue inviting European politicians despite Kiev’s bans — envoy

Crimea’s vice premier noted that the absence of logic in Kiev’s actions may lead to the fact that eventually "it will prohibit all politicians and lawmakers across the world to come to Ukraine"

SIMFEROPOL, March 20. /TASS/. Crimea will continue to show the real situation on the Black Sea peninsula to politicians from Europe despite a ban on such visit imposed by Ukraine, Crimea’s Vice Premier and Permanent Representative to the Russian President, Georgy Muradov, told reporters on Monday.

"More and more people come to us. They believe it is necessary for them to see how the situation in Crimea evolves. We will continue this practice. We will push ahead with efforts aimed at making sure that people in the world have a better understanding of what is really going on in Crimea, that human rights are respected here," Muradov said commenting on the visit by European parliamentarians who are to be sanctioned by Kiev in the wake of their visit.

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Kiev hits European MPs with five-year Ukraine entry ban for visiting Crimea

"During all international forums <…>, Ukraine raises the issue saying that no one is allowed to visit Crimea, and independent observers cannot see anything here. However, as soon as these independent observers say that they will come, tremendous pressure is exerted on them through diplomatic and political channels to prevent them from visiting the region <…> "Ukraine demands that the entire world should be aware of what is happening in Crimea. Let everyone come and see with their own eyes. We invite everyone and do not hinder anyone’s visits," Muradov noted.

He noted that the absence of logic in Kiev’s actions may lead to the fact that eventually "it will prohibit all politicians and lawmakers across the world to come to Ukraine."

MPs from some European countries (the UK, the Czech Republic, Serbia and Montenegro), as well as Kyrgyzstan and Brazil, arrived in Crimea on Sunday. On Monday, they are holding meetings with local government official and members of the general public. The politicians’ visit was organized by the Just Russia political party.

On Sunday, Secretary of Ukraine’s National Security and Defense Council (NSDC), Alexander Turchinov, said that Ukraine’s Security Council, under instructions from the NSDC, will compile a list of politicians from European and other countries with a view to slapping sanctions on them over their visit to Crimea. According to Turchinov, "if their stay in Crimea is confirmed, criminal proceedings should be launched in accordance with the existing legislation." The parliamentarians themselves said they do not fear Kiev’s possible sanctions and have no intention of visiting Ukraine.

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Crimea and Sevastopol Sanctions

Military operation in Ukraine

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