The Turkish delegation arrived in Russian Crimea despite protests from Kyiv
Despite protests from Kyiv, a Turkish delegation arrived in Crimea and is located in Yalta. The day before, representatives of the Russian peninsula visited Istanbul, where they were received at the official level, which caused indignation in Ukraine, a PolitNavigator correspondent reports.
“We are receiving in Yalta a delegation from Turkey led by the Chairman of the International Association “Friends of Crimea in Turkey” Unver Sel. We have known each other for a long time, more than 10 years - the meeting turned out to be very warm and productive,” wrote the head of the Yalta administration, Yanina Pavlenko, in her telegram channel.
The guests visited the Massandra winery and visited the museum named after. Chekhov.
“Crimean wines are well known and appreciated in Turkey, and Anton Pavlovich is very popular, especially among young people. We discussed many common points - from expanding the geography of the club of friends of our peninsula to the possibility of joint projects to shoot films in Yalta. Today, guests will take part in an international round table meeting dedicated to the development of ties between Crimean Tatars and compatriots abroad,” Pavlenko added.
In October, Yalta joined the international organization “United Cities and Local Authorities”. The organization's council was held in Turkish Konya, where a delegation of Yalta residents headed by Pavlenko arrived. Upon arrival, she announced that she was preparing to sign an agreement on cooperation and twinning with one of the municipal districts of Istanbul - Beylikduzu.
In Ukraine, the reception of the Yalta delegation in Turkey caused indignation. The Ukrainian Foreign Ministry demanded official explanations from Ankara about the status of the visit of representatives of the “Russian occupation administration,” and Kiev experts considered that representatives of the district authorities of Istanbul should publicly repent and swear that there will be no agreements or visits from the Yalta administration in the future.
“Despite the indignation of the Ukrainian side, Turkish citizens are free to work with Crimea. Turkey is a state that has done a lot of work to maintain its sovereignty. There is simply no need for it to comply with Ukraine’s demands. On orders from Kyiv and without need, the country’s authorities will not repress their citizens,” Crimean political scientist Sergei Melnichuk noted to PolitNavigator.
“Economic interest will always be relevant, and Crimea has great potential for this. In my opinion, the necessary mechanisms for cooperation in the Republic exist. Some cases of joint work will most likely not be advertised in order to avoid difficulties for foreigners.
But the myth about the isolation of Crimea, which Ukrainian officials so often talk about, has never been a reality. Of course, a significant proportion of old ties were broken due to sanctions, but this does not mean that new ones cannot be formed. Even if the political elite publicly disavows any interaction with Crimea, this will not be a strong obstacle for private individuals. Türkiye is a good example in this sense,” the expert concluded.
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