Fifty politicians, businessmen from Germany, Austria to visit occupied Crimea in spring 2018 – Russia media

Some fifty deputies, businessmen and public figures from Austria and Germany will allegedly arrive in the Russian-occupied Crimea to take part in the International Economic Forum to be held in Yalta in the spring of 2018, according to the Russian newspaper Izvestia.

The delegation will also include members of the German Bundestag, Izvestia reports.

"We will go to Crimea, despite sanctions and political pressure, because this is an important sign of reconciliation and cooperation between Russia and the West," a Bundestag deputy told Izvestia, requesting to remain unnamed due to the approaching parliamentary elections.

Read alsoOver 30 foreign ships illegally visit Russia-annexed Crimea's ports last month

As UNIAN reported earlier, European politicians, represented by the largest delegation from Italy, arrived in the occupied Crimea in the spring of 2016. Ukraine sent a protest note to the German Foreign Ministry due to an uncoordinated visit to the Russian-occupied Crimea by chairman of the youth wing of Alternative for Germany (AfD) party Markus Frohnmaier and MEP from this party Marcus Pretzell.