Veneto Regional Council voted for the resolution, calling the EU’s policy towards Crimea “discriminatory and unjust” and urges to recognize results of the referendum establishing Crimea as part of Russia, reports RIA News.
27 out of 51 members of the regional council supported the resolution. Nine cast their votes against it, one member didn’t vote.
Thus, Venice has become Europe’s first region to recognize Crimean Republic part of Russia.
According to the text of the document, the Head of Veneto Regional Council Roberto Ciambetti and Head of the region Luca Zaia are entitled to cooperate with Italy’s government and parliament and the EU’s other institutions in order to revise EU-Russia relations, as well as initiate signature gathering to cancel anti-Russian sanctions.
Moreover, Veneto Regional Council urges Italy’ government to “condemn the EU’s foreign policy in relation to Crimea and recognize the will of Crimean parliament and Crimean people voiced in the referendum”.
The parliament intends to “demand immediate lift of useless anti-Russian sanctions, which have negative impact on Veneto’s economy”.