Crimean Authorities Intend To File Complaint Against Ukraine With ECHR Over Water Blockade

The administration of the Crimean peninsula plans to file a suit with the European Court of Human Rights (ECHR) against Kiev over the closure of the North Crimean Channel, which was used for supplying water to the peninsula, Sergey Trofimov, the head of the regional parliament's committee on legislation, told Sputnik on Thursday

SIMFEROPOL (UrduPoint News / Sputnik - 08th April, 2021) The administration of the Crimean peninsula plans to file a suit with the European Court of Human Rights (ECHR) against Kiev over the closure of the North Crimean Channel, which was used for supplying water to the peninsula, Sergey Trofimov, the head of the regional parliament's committee on legislation, told Sputnik on Thursday.

"As for bringing Ukraine to international legal responsibility, we will appeal to the European Court of Human Rights. We have a lot of people, including entrepreneurs, who have suffered from the water blockade. Ukraine violated their rights," Trofimov said.

He specified that the complaints to the ECHR will target both the state of Ukraine and individual members of its government.

"The complaint will be filed by legal entities and individuals whose place of residence and location is the Republic of Crimea," the official explained.

Ukraine used to provide up to 85 percent of Crimea's fresh water needs through the North Crimean Channel. After the peninsula's reunification with Russia, the water supply was unilaterally stopped. Extracting water from underground sources and natural water storages provided the enclave with temporary relief, and the authorities had to enact a scheduled water supply regime in several cities due to water shortage.