The President of the European People's Party (EPP) and Chairman of the EPP Group in the European Parliament, Joseph Daul, made the following statement on today's so-called referendum in Crimea, Ukraine:

 

“The results of today’s referendum are like the chronicle of a death foretold where the citizens of Crimea, under Russian bayonets, had actually only one option.  The referendum has been organised by a self-proclaimed and illegitimate authority in violation of the Ukrainian and Crimean constitutions and therefore we do not recognise its results. Crimea is part of Ukraine, which is a sovereign state with a legitimate government. We will not accept any changes to the internationally recognised borders of Ukraine,” said Joseph Daul.

 

The leader of the largest political family in Europe makes a strong call for Russia’s international isolation: “If a country wants to be treated as a partner, as an equal, then certain behaviour is no longer acceptable in the XXI century. Sanctions against it must be applied immediately. On behalf of the EPP political family I call on the international institutions to suspend Russia from the G-8, OSCE, I will ask our EPP Group colleagues at the Council of Europe to do the same by invoking Article 8. I welcome the postponement of the accession of Russia to OECD.”

 

 

BRU - Tel: +32 (0)2 2845525 Fax: +32 (0)2 2849525

STR - Tel: +33 (0)3 88 175525 Fax: +33 (0)3 88 179525

Email: joseph.daul@europarl.europa.eu

 

Phone: +32 476 33 10 38

E-mail: delia.vlase@europarl.europa.eu