“The so-called referendum” in Crimea was unconstitutional. Its outcome and “the illegal annexation of Crimea by the Russian Federation therefore have no legal effect and are not recognised by the Council of Europe”, the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe (PACE) stated today in an resolution adopted at the end of an urgent debate.

The parliamentarians said that none of the arguments used by the Russian Federation to justify its actions hold true to facts and evidence. “The drive for secession and integration into the Russian Federation was instigated and incited by the Russian authorities, under the cover of a military intervention”, the resolution underlined, while recommending that the signatories of the Budapest Agreement, as well as other relevant European States, “explore the possibility for tangible security agreements to ensure Ukraine’s independence, sovereignty and territorial integrity”.

The Assembly fully recognised the legitimacy of the new authorities in Kyiv and the Verkovna Rada, “as well as the legality of their decisions” and regretted attempts to question the legitimacy of the new authorities, “which can only serve to destabilise the country”. (more...)

Video of the debate
Video of the speech of the Secretary General, Mr Jagland
Read also: Ukraine and the Council of Europe