“I have never heard about Ukrainian politicians who would go to Moscow, St. Petersburg or other areas to declare that these areas historically belong to Ukraine and must be returned to this country,” former Foreign Minister and NRU head Borys Tarasiuk said, the NRU press service May 23 release runs, according to ZIK.
B. Tarasiuk believes the ban imposed on some Ukrainian politicians to enter Russia is absolutely inadequate. “Taking into account Mayor Luzhkov’s earlier trips to Crimea, he was warned by Ukraine Security Service not to make any anti-Ukrainian declarations. However, the mayor spurned the warning and plunged into declarations that violate the Ukrainian constitution and laws. That is why he was banned entry in Ukraine,” B. Tarasiuk argued.
In addition, Borys Tarasiuk commented on the recent statement by Russia on the deployment of Black Sea Fleet in Sevastopol. “The Russians are acting on the assumption that their BSF will remain in Sevastopol. This assumption has no legal grounds whatever and amounts to the infringement on the territorial integrity of Ukraine,” the former foreign minister stressed.
“Under Art. 17 of the Ukrainian constitution, any foreign military bases are banned. That is, the BSF is deployed in Ukraine only on a temporary basis. And the sooner the Russians learn this the better. We cannot start talks in 2017 about the withdrawal of their fleet, such talks must be held now. Therefore any accusations that Ukraine raises the issue too early are senseless,” B. Tarasiuk said.
“Indeed, we have to focus on the practical issues of BSF deployment. Unfortunately, the Russians do not observe the agreement on the BSF and violate Ukrainian laws by occupying Crimean light-houses. This is done in a most blatant way – by refusing stock-taking of property leased to the Russians. As a result, Ukraine cannot evaluate the cost of property and land. This, in turn, makes a $2 billion dent in Sevastopol budget revenues, experts say,” Borys Tarasiuk concluded.
