OREANDA-NEWS. The European Union criticized the decision to ban ownership of land in Crimea by foreign citizens and companies, calling it a “violation of international humanitarian law.”

“The European Union does not recognise this decree, which is yet another attempt to forcibly integrate the illegally-annexed peninsula into Russia. Crimea is part of Ukraine,” the European External Action Service’s statement says. The EU authority points out that the decree violates international humanitarian law, “as it is another step towards the imposition of Russian citizenship in the peninsula.” According to it, this measure could also lead to the arbitrary deprivation of property.

Earlier, the President of Russia signed a decree on expanding the list of border territories in which foreign citizens, stateless persons and foreign legal entities cannot own land. In particular, 11 districts and 8 cities of the Republic of Crimea, as well as territories of the city of Sevastopol, were added to the list.