On the 7th of February Boris Babin, the Permanent Representative of the President of Ukraine in the Autonomous Republic of Crimea held the working meeting to discuss the issue of systemic violation of international law by the occupying authorities and security risk of navigation in the Black Sea.
The meeting was attended by representatives of the state enterprises: “Administration of Seaports”, the State Service of Ukraine on Transport Safety, the Ministry of Infrastructure of Ukraine, the Ministry of Temporary Occupation Territories and Internally Displaced Persons, the Crimean Prosecutor’s Office and the General Directorate of the SSU in the ARC.
Within the limits of their authority, representatives of each institution informed the present on the current situation on this issue and answered a number of questions from the management of the Mission.
During the meeting, there were discussed the number of issues concerning : improving the quality of response to unlawful systematic entrances of the vessels carrying cargo from and to the closed seaports of Ukraine in the ARC and Sevastopol, the violation of the rules of usage of navigation systems and other security breaches in these ports and maritime spaces, navigation, pollution of the marine environment, and illegal exploitation Ukrainian ports in Crimea by the occupation authorities of Russia.
The issue of existing risks related to the passage of vessels under the flag of Ukraine in the Kerch Strait was discussed. Also the issue had been raised about the further activity of the authorized bodies of Ukraine within the membership of Committee of the Black Sea Memorandum in the context of obvious violation of its rules by the state-aggressor .
During the discussion, a number of problems related to the prosecution of classification societies, insurance agencies, crewing companies, ship owners, operators and merchant ship masters for violations of national and international law were identified.
In his address to the participants, Boris Babin emphasized the need for an urgent consolidation of efforts to prepare an appropriate evidence base about institutions that promote occupation authorities, in particular, counteraction to their representatives operating in the mainland of Ukraine by the state-aggressor .
According to the results of the meeting the participants determined the shortest possible time for eliminating mentioned drawbacks. Besides the frequency of information exchange and the algorithm of cooperation. The above mentioned issues are constantly monitored by the Mission.