MOSCOW (Sputnik) — The Russian Foreign Ministry on Friday sharply criticized a decision by the EU Council's Committee of Ministers concerning the alleged 'worsening of human rights situation' in Russia's Crimea.
"Those who voted in the Committee for this decision, turn a blind eye to the 'visa repressions' of the European Union, which run counter to the principles of international law, as well as the actions of Ukrainian nationalists to block the water and energy supply of Crimea," the ministry said in a statement.
According to the statement, the Committee's decision is not about people and their rights. "It is about how this topic is used for political purposes, without thinking about discrediting the Committee of Ministers itself."
"Russia does not consider itself bound by this decision of the Committee of Ministers and does not consider it legitimate to use this decision by the Ukrainian side in its further propaganda constructs," the ministry stressed.
The relations between Russia and the European Union shattered after Crimea rejoined Russia as a result of a referendum in 2014, which had not been recognized by the bloc's member states. The European Union, as well as the United States and their allies, introduced a number of sanctions against Russia. Moscow, in turn, put in place a food embargo on products originating in the countries which had targeted Russia with sanctions.
