BRUSSELS (Sputnik) – On June 19, the European Council announced that the EU member states' foreign ministers had extended sanctions against Crimea by one year that were due to expire in late June this year. The unilateral measures ban EU persons as well as EU-based companies from importing goods from the peninsula, as well as from investing in it among other restrictions.
"On 19 June 2017, the Council adopted Decision (CFSP) 2017/1087. The Council Decision extends the restrictive measures until 23 June 2018. The Candidate Countries Montenegro and Albania, and the EFTA [European Free Trade Association] country Norway, member of the European Economic Area, as well as Ukraine and Georgia align themselves with this Declaration. They will ensure that their national policies conform to this Council Decision," the statement said.
Crimea rejoined Russia in 2014 after almost 96 percent of its voters supported the move through a referendum held in March 2014. Kiev, as well as Brussels and Washington, did not recognize the referendum results. Russian authorities have repeatedly said that the Crimean residents decided to rejoin Russia in a democratic procedure and that the referendum was conducted in compliance with the international law.
