A group of Slovak MPs is set to visit annexed Crimea
Several deputies from Slovakia have decided to visit the Crimean peninsula, which was annexed, from Ukraine by the Russian Federation, despite the ambassador’s warning that this would violate the law, reported Slovak SME (The Slovak Spectator) news outlet.
Last week, a group of deputies, led by the independent MP Peter Marcek, announced that they are going to visit the Crimea in August. They also informed that they are planning to travel to the Crimean peninsula from Moscow.
In response, Ukrainian Ambassador Yuriy Mushka said that in case of such trip, the Slovaks could be banned entry to Ukraine.
“Those who visit Crimea violate the laws of Ukraine, and the Ukrainian side will respond to this decision. I think that people who visit the Crimea will face an entry ban in the future, "the ambassador said.
Speaker of the National Council of the Slovak Republic, Andrej Danko, in turn, responded that the ambassador "should not tell the deputies where they can or cannot travel."
Currently, it is known that the delegation, apart from Marcek, will also include independent MP Martina Simkovicova, three deputies of the ruling left-wing populist Direction-Social Democracy (SMER–SD) party and one deputy of the Slovak National Party (SNS).
In February, nine German deputies from the three of Germany’s state parliaments visited the Crimea, violating Ukraine’s Law. Based on this visit, the Prosecutor's Office of the Autonomous Republic of Crimea opened criminal proceedings. In April, the authorities of the annexed Crimea announced that they are expecting a visit from another German delegation.
Last year, Ukraine sent a protest note to Germany because of the German politicians' visit to the conference in Yalta. In addition to the German deputies, the annexed Crimea was also visited by the Czech MEP Jaromir Kohlicek (Communist Party of Bohemia and Moravia), Austrian MPs Barbara Rosenkranz and Axel Kassegger (representatives of the right-wing Freedom Party of Austria), former adviser to Nicolas Sarkozy, Jean-Pierre Thomas, and a leader of the pro-Russian opposition in Moldova, "Our Party", Renato Usatii.