EU does not recognise so-called elections in Crimea

The EU does not recognise the so-called elections held in the occupied Crimean peninsula, as it does not recognise and will not recognise the illegal annexation of Crimea and the city of Sevastopol by the Russian Federation, according to a statement by the EU High Representative, Josep Borrell, released on behalf of the European Union on 20 September.

The State Duma, regional and local elections in Russia took place on 17-19 September.

“The Russian Federation‘s decision to involve residents of the non-government controlled territories of the Donetsk and Luhansk regions in Ukraine in the State Duma, regional and local elections runs counter to the spirit and objectives of the Minsk agreements. The EU remains unwavering in its support for the territorial integrity and sovereignty of Ukraine,” says Borrell.

The European Union also draws attention to the increased crackdown on opposition politicians, civil society organisations and independent media outlets, as well as journalists in Russia, and regrets Russia’s decision to severely restrict the size and format of an international OSCE/ODIHR Election Observation Mission.

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