Ukrainian side in PACE, NATO and OSCE to raise issue of illegitimacy of presidential election in occupied Crimea

At the April session of the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe (PACE), the Ukrainian delegation will raise the issue of illegitimacy of the Russian presidential election in the occupied Crimea.

First Deputy Chairman of the Verkhovna Rada of Ukraine Iryna Gerashchenko said this in an interview with the Holos Ukrainy (Voice of Ukraine) newspaper.

"The election of the president of the Russian Federation, in fact - the election of President Putin, is a serious challenge for Ukraine. Russia defiantly wants to hold these elections in the occupied Crimea, pursuing there a policy of forcible passportization of Ukrainian citizens, handing them Russian passports and forcing them to participate in the elections," Gerashchenko said.

In her opinion, the issue of illegitimacy of the Russian presidential election in the occupied Crimea should be among key issues that the Ukrainian parliamentary delegation should raise at all levels.

"We will talk about this in the PACE at the April session and at the parliamentary assemblies of NATO and the OSCE. This is a very serious issue that should draw attention to the occupation of Crimea, which has been going on for four years," Gerashchenko stressed.

As reported, Russia will hold the presidential election on March 18.

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