The Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Ukraine strongly condemns the arrival on March 30, 2016 a group of Greek businessmen headed by Mr. Georgios Iosifidis, a member of the Council on tourism development of the municipality of Corinth, into the temporarily occupied territory of the Autonomous Republic of Crimea and Sevastopol, and points out that it was not agreed with the Ukrainian Side and was carried out in violation of the Ukrainian law.

We consider such a trip of Greek citizens as a sign of disrespect of the state sovereignty of Ukraine, as an intentional neglect of the Ukrainian law and the Hellenic Republic and the European Union non-recognition policy of the illegal annexation of the Autonomous Republic of Crimea and Sevastopol.

In this regard the MFA of Ukraine calls on all foreign citizens to adhere the Ukrainian law and the “Rules of Entry into the Temporarily Occupied Territory of Ukraine and Exit from it”. The Ukrainian Side will respond to any violations of the established Rules.

Ukraine also expects the appropriate reaction from the Greek authorities on the violation by Greek citizens of the Ukrainian law as well as non-recognition policy of the annexation attempt of the Crimea, which is implemented by the EU and Greece.