Russian Foreign Ministry Speaker Maria Zakharova reacted to the decision of the Council of Europe on May 11 on the situation with human rights violations in Crimea, stating that the Russian Federation considers this verdict as an encroachment on the territorial integrity of Russia. She added that Western counterparts turn a blind eye to real problems, in particular, to the so-called water blockade of the peninsula.
“We have repeatedly called on our Western colleagues to abandon double standards and stop turning a blind eye to real problems that require a reaction from the Council of Europe. However, they prefer to ignore the water blockade of the peninsula and other humanitarian crimes of the Kyiv authorities. They consider themselves entitled to subject the population of Crimea to collective discrimination for the choice made in 2014 in favor of reunification with Russia”, – she said.
Zakharova noted that the Russian Federation considers this verdict of the CMCE as an encroachment on the territorial integrity of the Russian Federation. According to her, the Council of Europe has crossed the line.
“The decisions of the Committee of Ministers of the Council of Europe are purely advisory in nature. However, we do not recognize this decision even as a recommendation”, – she added.