SIMFEROPOL, September 10 (RIA Novosti) - Europe must recognize the Crimean breakaway referendum in case they declare the upcoming Scottish independence poll legitimate, acting Prime Minister of Crimea Sergei Aksyonov told the press Wednesday.
“… The recognition of the referendum in Scotland would mean that [the March’s referendum in] Crimea must be recognized by them [the EU member states] automatically, without any questions and without any doubt,” Aksyonov said.
The official added that he wonders how Brussels’ reaction to the outcome of the Scottish referendum will be different from its reception of the Crimea’s reunification with Russia.
“Will they declare sanctions against Scotland … will they shell it or attack with tanks?” the Crimean head said.
“I just want to understand for myself, how a similar process will be interpreted by Western European countries. [They] are trying to publicly humiliate, offend us, close the opportunity for us to do business, and this is why I want to see, what their reaction will be toward their own citizens, on whose territory a situation similar to the Crimean events is going on,” he added.
The referendum on Scottish independence is scheduled for September 18. If the majority of votes cast for the nation‘s breakaway from the United Kingdom, Scotland stands to become an independent country.
Crimea became part of Russia following the March 16 referendum; however the majority of the international community, including the European Union, did not recognize the vote and started to impose anti-Moscow sanctions after the peninsula joined Russia.
