On Thursday, 21 November, the Saeima adopted a communication regarding the so-called elections held by the Russian Federation in the Autonomous Republic of Crimea and the city of Sevastopol.

The Saeima of the Republic of Latvia strongly condemns the Russian Federation's unlawful annexation of the Autonomous Republic of Crimea and the city of Sevastopol, carried out by establishing a repressive regime in the occupied territory, illegally expropriating Ukrainian national property, closing down Ukrainian-language schools, and pursuing repression of Crimean Tatars; as well as condemns the Russian Federation's continued aggression in Eastern Ukraine and the economic war waged in the Black Sea and Sea of Azov region.

As set out in the communication, the conduct of the Russian Federation, namely, the illegal annexation of Crimea, a Ukrainian territory, constitutes a serious violation of international law, including the Charter of the United Nations and the Helsinki Final Act of the Conference on Security and Co-operation in Europe. Russia's military activities contradict the 1994 Budapest Memorandum of Security Assurances for Ukraine, signed by Russia, the United States, the United Kingdom, Ukraine, Belarus, and Kazakhstan.

In the communication, the elections of the so-called Crimean and Sevastopol legislatures, held on 8 September 2019 by the Russian Federation, are strongly condemned and considered to be unlawful. The communication includes a reminder that the 2016 Russian Federation State Duma elections organised in Crimea and Sevastopol should also be considered illegal, which means that the election results cannot be accepted in the precincts created there.

“It is symbolic that today marks six years since the start of the Euromaidan Revolution in Ukraine. Six years ago, on 21 November 2013, thousands of people embarked on the revolution for freedom, also known as the Revolution of Dignity. It is also for this reason that, without any doubt, we had to adopt this communication: with this communication, we reaffirm our unwavering support for the sovereignty and territorial integrity of Ukraine, remind of our persistent refusal to recognise the illegal annexation of Crimea, and express Latvia’s support for Ukraine's greater Euro-Atlantic integration,” indicated Rihards Kols, Chair of the Foreign Affairs Committee of the Saeima.

The Parliament reaffirms the support of the Republic of Latvia for the sovereignty and territorial integrity of Ukraine by consistently refusing to recognise the illegal annexation of Crimea and Sevastopol by the Russian Federation, and voices support for Ukraine's further Euro-Atlantic integration.

In its communication, the Saeima calls on the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe and other international institutions to strongly condemn the military occupation of Ukrainian territories by the Russian Federation and the elections unlawfully organised in the occupied territories of Ukraine.

In addition, the Saeima calls for strong adherence to international law, norms, and democratic values and a demand on the Russian Federation to resume respecting international law by ceasing the aggressive actions in Ukraine.

Saeima Press Service