OREANDA-NEWS. Members of the delegation of German public figures were impressed by the changes that have taken place in Crimea five years after returning to Russia. This was told by the Deputy Chairman of the organization "Society for Security and Politics" Frank Porsch.

On Tuesday, March 19.During the meeting with members of the Presidium of Crimea’s State Council, Frank Porsch, Deputy Chairman of German “Society for Security and Politics” expressed the delegation’ admiration at the drastic positive changes in Crimea.

 “We are so much impressed by the changes that have taken place in the Crimea over these past five years, with the Crimean Bridge, and also the new airport,” Porsch told in interview for Russian media.

According to Porsch, sanctions imposed on Crimea are merely political by nature and have no significant effect on the peninsula. He added that it was significant for German public figures to see it with their own eyes.

Ten representatives of public organizations of Germany arrived in Crimea on March 16. They are planning getting acquainted with the life of the region, meeting the authorities as well as members of the public. Germans know about possible entry ban from Kiev’s side after their visit to Crimea, and they are not visiting Ukraine, Frank Porsch stressed. He also added he would not give specific attention to sanctions and bans from Ukraine. “We are not political figures, we are public men and we want to come in contact with people,” Porsch said.

The 5th anniversary of the “Crimean Spring” on the peninsula was celebrated with various festive events, in which President Vladimir Putin took part. Putin also gave start to the work of Balaklavskaya and Tavricheskaya thermal power plants at full power.

On March 16, 2014 a referendum on the reunification with Russian Federation took place in Crimea. 96.77% of Crimean citizens (95.6% of voters in Sevastopol) chose for the region to leave Ukraine and to become part of Russia. The voter turnout that day has been 83.1%. On March 17, after the results were announced, the Russian president signed a decree, according to which the Republic of Crimea was becoming as a sovereign and independent state. The next day Vladimir Putin, chairmans of the Crimean State Council and Council of Ministers, and also Alexey Chaly (mayor of Sevastopol) signed the Reunification Treaty about adoption of Crimea and formation of new federal subjects within Russia. The document was ratified by the Federal Assembly, Russia’s national legislature. Despite the procedure was absolutely compliant with international standards, Ukraine and a number of other countries do not recognize the will of the Crimean people.