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PACE should make responsible Ukrainian border service for limited access of Russians

MOSCOW, April 19, /ITAR-TASS/. PACE and the European Parliament should make responsible Ukrainian border service, which has introduced limitations for Russians entering Ukraine, head of the Federation Council’s international committee Mikhail Margelov said on Saturday.

Ukraine has for the first time ever made an official recognition of the restrictions it has introduced on trips to its territory by the citizens of Russia and the citizens of Ukraine living in Crimea. The State Border Service of Ukraine told Itar-Tass on Friday that restrictions have been introduced provisionally and cover the Russian citizens and Ukrainians living in Crimea in the age group of 16 to 60 years old.

The senator stressed the actual ban could be considered as a bad joke, if the situation “did not affect business, family and friendly relations between people living in neighbouring states.”

“I believe PACE and the European Parliament should make responsible Ukrainian border service, should devote their special sessions to the issue, and OSCE should organise some professional guard at the border crossing stations,” Margelov added.

Earlier, the Federation Council called the limitations Kiev’s strategic mistake and an attempt to put on Russia the responsibility for the situation in Ukraine’s south-eastern regions.

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