10:19 13.11.2017

Ukraine's ambassador in Vienna slams visit by Austrian deputies to occupied Crimea

2 min read
Ukraine's ambassador in Vienna slams visit by Austrian deputies to occupied Crimea

Austrian politicians who visited the "Friends of Crimea Forum" organized by the Russian occupation authorities have violated the neutrality of Austria and the decisions of the European Union, Ukrainian Ambassador to Austria Oleksandr Scherba has said.

"When Renat Paralamov talked about the untold suffering that he had to go through, Linz Deputy Mayor Detlef Wimmer and newly elected MP Hans-Joerg Jenewein were laying out their belongings in the luxury rooms of the Yalta hotel where they arrived to witness the support of Russia's annexation of Crimea," reads a statement posted on the website Crimea.Realities late on Saturday, November 11, with reference to an article of the diplomat for the Austrian newspaper Die Presse.

According to Scherba, Austrian politicians should be guided not only by their own moral criteria, but also by the obligations of their country.

"In the case of Austria, this is, perhaps, neutrality and the EU's decision. In my opinion, Wimmer and Jenewein violated both the first and the second. If you are in favor of 'recognizing the legitimate nature' of the Crimean 'Anschluss,' this contradicts not only European politics, but and the Austrian policy of neutrality," he wrote.

At the same time, Austrian Foreign Minister Sebastian Kurz said that he was dissatisfied with the visit by two politicians of the Freedom Party to Crimea. He recalled that his People's Party had issued a statement referring to Russia's annexation of Crimea "that contradicts international law."

The report recalls that in the Yalta hosted the "Friends of Crimea Forum" on November 6-8. According to Kremlin-controlled State Duma deputy for Crimea Mikhail Sheremet, about 90 foreign guests arrived on the peninsula.

In 2016, the Ukrainian Foreign Ministry called on foreigners and stateless persons to enter the annexed Crimea exclusively in accordance with the laws of Ukraine and international law.

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