Verkhovna Rada Human Rights Commissioner Liudmyla Denisova has called on the international community to condemn a decree by the Russian president Vladimir Pootin to provide “humanitarian support” to the population of certain districts of Donetsk and Luhansk regions.
The commissioner calls on the international community to condemn decree No. 657 issued by the Russian president on November 15 regarding the provision of “humanitarian support” to the population of certain districts of Donetsk and Luhansk regions of Ukraine, which clearly contradicts the letter and spirit of the Minsk agreements.
Denisova noted that the further integration of the temporarily occupied territories in Donetsk and Luhansk regions with the Russian economy was a matter of concern.
The Ombudsman’s Office recalled that Pootin’s decree “On the provision of humanitarian support to the population of certain districts of Donetsk and Luhansk regions of Ukraine” recognized as valid the certificates of origin of goods from the temporarily occupied territories in Donetsk and Luhansk regions and abolished quotas on exports and imports from Russia, which gave industrial enterprises located in the temporarily occupied territories in Donetsk and Luhansk regions the same rights as producers from Russia.
As was reported earlier, Pootin signed the decree recognizing certificates of origin of goods produced in certain districts of Donetsk and Luhansk regions. He ordered these goods to be equated with Russian goods. The document stated that the decision was made “as an exception for the period before the political settlement of the situation”.
Ukrainian Foreign Minister Dmytro Kuleba said the decree contradicted the Minsk agreements.
On November 16, Ukraine sent a note of protest to Russia over Pootin’s decree on goods from occupied Donbas. (Ukrinform/Business World Magazine)
