27 November 2015, 16:05
The head of the Ukrainian delegation, speaking at the meeting on November 27, drew attention to the illegal use of the cultural heritage in the region of PABSEC.
Liudmyla Denisova, in particular, recalled that the meeting of the PABSEC Committee for Culture, Education and Social Affairs, held on October 19, reported the removal of the Crimea collections, including the unique collections of Chersonesos of Tavrida, Sudak, and Central Museum of Tavrida in Simferopol to Hermitage (Russian Federation).
Then, on October 22, the website of the Chersonese of Tavrida refutes this information, and the Russian media published a rebuttal with reference to Hermitage representatives.
"However, I want to inform all present that it simultaneously announced the exhibition in the Hermitage "On the Ground of Griffin. Antique Archaeology of Hermitage in Crimea" from October 24, 2015 to January 24, 2016, which includes the items from the collections of the East Crimean Historical and Cultural Museum. This information is now posted on Hermitage website," said the head of the Ukrainian delegation.
Liudmyla Denisova stressed that there is no objection to cooperation during Chersonese monument excavations, joint creation of the Byzantine exhibition, and joint research. "However, the published information is not talking simply about cooperation but confirms the removal of items from the Crimea," she added.
According to Liudmyla Denisova, there is also a particular concern about the incident, which occurred at the night from 16 to 17 November this year in Sudak. There, according to the media reports, a part of the tower of the ancient Genoese fortress collapsed. With reference to a source close to the National Committee for Protection of Cultural Heritage of Crimea, it is reported that the cause of the event is the fact that a monument of world importance does not receive enough attention. The restoration work, or examination of the technical condition of the fortress facilities, are not carried out.
"Our country firmly condemns the barbaric capture and plunder of the cultural, material and spiritual historical values ??of Ukraine by the Russian Federation," said the Head of the Standing Delegation of the Verkhovna Rada of Ukraine in PABSEC.