Czech Republic MEP accused of discrediting Parliament with Crimea visit

Czech Republic MEP Miloslav Ransdorf (pictured) has been accused of bringing "discredit" to the European Parliament for a planned official visit to Crimea.  

The Representative of Ukraine to the EU condemned the scheduled visit of Ransdorf to the "autonomous republic of Crimea". Kostiantyn Yelisieiev described Crimea as being "temporarily occupied" by the Russian Federation and said the visit "discredited" the European Parliament.

Yelisieiev has now called on European Parliament President Martin Schulz to "respond appropriately to such actions".

The diplomat, the most senior Ukraine official in Brussels, said that such a visit "discredits the position of the European Parliament involving the consistent support of the territorial integrity and sovereignty of Ukraine".

Yelisieiev expressed hope that the intentions of MEP would be "properly assessed" by the leadership of the Parliament. "It is obvious that this visit does not represent the official position of the European Union, but it will be actively used by Russian occupying authorities and propagandists for their own purposes," emphasized the Ukraine Representative.

Meanwhile, Russia says it may toughen its response to sanctions imposed by the European Union over the crisis in Ukraine if the bloc extends its measures against Moscow.  Russian economic adviser Andrei Belousov's comments, at the annual St Petersburg International Economic Forum, followed a decision on Wednesday (17 June) by EU governments to extend the economic sanctions on Russia until the end of January, 2016.  "We are looking at a wide range of actions. I don't want now to name the measures that could be taken. Much will depend on what decision the EU takes," Belousov said.

On whether Russia could toughen its counter-sanctions, which include a ban on Western food imports and travel bans on European officials, Belousov added: "I rule nothing out.  Russian officials have said Moscow will wait for a formal EU decision before taking any steps but that the extension of sanctions would be harmful for the EU as well as Russia.  The sanctions imposed by the EU and the United States over the conflict in Ukraine have deepened problems for Russia's economy, also hit by a fall in global oil prices and the rouble's fall against the US dollar.

Sanctions were initially imposed after Russia annexed the Crimea peninsula in March last year. Western government also say Russia has sent soldiers and arms to help separatists fighting in east Ukraine but Moscow denies the accusations.  Economy Minister Alexei Ulyukayev said earlier on Thursday that Russia was unlikely to introduce new measures in response to the extension of EU sanctions but was likely to extend the food embargo. More than 6,000 people have been killed in the bitter conflict which is now into its second year.

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