Minister Zaorálek: The security order of our region is being questioned
18.03.2014 / 18:40 | Aktualizováno: 27.03.2014 / 18:52
The Czech Minister of Foreign Affairs Lubomír Zaorálek represented the Czech Republic at regular meeting of EU Foreign Affairs Council on 17 March 2014 in Brussels. Ministers again devoted discussion to the current development in Crimean peninsula, condemned Sunday's referendum, labeled it as illegitimate and approved sanctions against those who are responsible for the situation of recent days.
Ministers strongly disapproved of holding the Crimean referendum on joining Russia, they called it illegitimate and in direct discrepancy with the constitutional order of Ukraine. Therefore EU doesn't recognize outcome of this voting.
"Our position against holding the Crimean referendum is unambiguously disapproving, moreover in view of the fact that suspiciously high turnout doesn't correspond with a boycott announced by a part of the Crimea citizens. By these steps the security order of the region we live in is being questioned," Minister Zaorálek said after the meeting of heads of the EU diplomacy.
Following the decision of the Heads of State or Government on 6 March 2014 the EU proceeded to the second phase of sanctions on the Russia Federation and Crimean authorities who are responsible for the recent development. The Ministers of Foreign Affairs approved targeted sanctions on 21 prominents from Crimea and Russia in form of travel ban and assets freezing.
The Ministers also supported an intention to sign the EU-Ukraine Association Agreement, or more precisely the political part of it, during following summit of Heads of State or Government, which will take place on 20 and 21 March in Brussels. Not signing this agreement in November 2013 was exactly the starting impulse for massive protests of Ukraine's citizens against the former government of president Yanukovych which culminated in his overthrowing and Russian occupation of Crimea.