UA
FR
DEThe European Union does not recognise the decree of President of the Russian Federation Vladimir Putin which prevents foreigners, including Ukrainians, from owning land in the occupied Crimea.
This is emphasised in the statement by the European External Action Service (EEAS).
As noted, the European Union does not recognise the annexation of Crimea, therefore, it does not recognise the relevant decree. The EU considers its entry into force “as yet another attempt to forcibly integrate the illegally-annexed peninsula into Russia.”
The document signed by the Russian president was also called a violation of international humanitarian law, as it is another step towards the imposition of Russian citizenship on the peninsula. In addition, the EU has once again urged Russia to stop violating international law in Crimea.
The other day, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Ukraine stated that the infringed rights of legal owners to land plots would be resumed after the restoration of Ukraine’s sovereignty in Crimea.
The Foreign Ministry added that the issue of preventing Ukrainians from owning land on the peninsula would be at the focus of attention of the Crimean Platform and its inaugural summit this year.
As a reminder, the Russian presidential decree added most of Crimea and the city of Sevastopol to the list of border territories of the Russian Federation in which non-Russian citizens are prevented from owning land. The document was signed in March 2020 and came into force on 20 March 2021.
The amendments concern about 11,500 land plots on the peninsula, primarily in popular coastal areas. The land ownership ban is imposed on nationals of 55 countries.
Bohdan Marusyak
