EU Council imposes sanctions against five organizers of Russian presidential elections in Crimea
The EU Council imposed sanctions against five organizers of the presidential election in the annexed Crimea, stated by President Petro Poroshenko on Facebook.
“I welcome the official decision of the EU Council to impose sanctions against five persons responsible for the illegal presidential election held in the temporarily occupied Crimea and Sevastopol. Punishment for any unlawful actions against the sovereignty and territorial integrity of Ukraine is inevitable,” he wrote.
Poroshenko also noted that one of the priorities of the European agenda is the restoration of Ukraine’s sovereignty.
“My meetings in Aachen with the leaders of the EU, France, and Germany clearly confirmed that the topic of de-occupation and restoration of Ukraine’s sovereignty over Crimea is one of the top priorities of the European agenda,” he said.
As reported on the EU Council’s website, sanctions (travel bans and freezing of assets) have been imposed against the “deputy chairman of the election commission” of Crimea Inna Guzeeva and “secretary” Natalia Bezruchenko, as well as against “chairman of the Sevastopol election committee” Alexander Petukhov, “deputy chairman” Miroslav Pogorelov and secretary Anastasia Kapranova.
They were added to the list of individuals against whom sanctions have been imposed for undermining and threatening Ukraine’s territorial integrity, sovereignty and independence.
The Russian presidential elections were held on March 18.