Natalya Poklonskaya, a member of the Russian parliament's lower house representing Crimea, told Sputnik on Wednesday that Kazakh President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev's stance on the events of the Crimean referendum that led to its reunification with Russia was "bold" and urged European leaders to follow his example
SIMFEROPOL (Pakistan Point News / Sputnik - 04th December, 2019) Natalya Poklonskaya, a member of the Russian parliament's lower house representing Crimea, told Sputnik on Wednesday that Kazakh President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev's stance on the events of the Crimean referendum that led to its reunification with Russia was "bold" and urged European leaders to follow his example.Earlier in the day, Tokaev, in an interview with the German Deutsche Welle newspaper, said that Kazakhstan did not consider Crimean reunification with Russia an annexation, adding that the word was too harsh to apply to Crimea.
"A fair and bold position of Kazakhstan's leadership shows that these are the people for whom the words, honor, dignity and maturity are principles of relations with others. I will say that Crimeans appreciate this attitude toward our choice [referendum]. I wish the leaders of European countries to take an example from the leaders of Kazakhstan," Poklonskaya said.
On the same day, Crimean Parliament's Deputy Speaker Yefim Fiks invited Tokayev to visit the peninsula.
"The President of Kazakhstan, indeed, showed his wisdom in assessing the events of 2014. Today, the correct assessment is given to those events that took place on the basis of international law. We welcome this. Kazakhstan is Russia's strategic partner and we will be very glad if the Kazakhstan president decides to visit Crimea," Fiks said.
Crimea rejoined Russia in 2014 after a referendum on the matter determined that 96 percent of the peninsula's voters were in favor of it. The reunification has not been recognized by Kiev or the majority of Western countries. Russia has repeatedly said the vote was held in compliance with international law.
A number of EU countries have since been denying visas to Crimeans. The Russian authorities view these actions as a violation of fundamental human rights, namely the freedom of movement, and urge the EU to halt its discriminatory policy.
