Declarations
Articles:
Declarations:
10-08-2021
The Republic of Poland takes note of the Declaration submitted by Ukraine on 16 October 2015 regarding the application of the Convention of 5 October 1961 Abolishing the Requirement of Legalisation for Foreign Public Documents and of the Declaration submitted by the Russian Federation on 19 July 2016 in relation to the Declaration made by Ukraine.
In relation to the Declaration made by the Russian Federation, the Republic of Poland declares, in accordance with the duty of non-recognition as lawful a situation created by a serious breach by State of an obligation arising under a peremptory norm of general international law and in line with the conclusions of the European Council of 20/21 March 2014, that it does not recognize the illegal referendum in Crimea and the illegal annexation of the Autonomous Republic of Crimea and the city of Sevastopol to the Russian Federation.
As regards the territorial scope of the above Convention, the Republic of Poland therefore considers that the Convention in principle continues to apply to the Autonomous Republic of Crimea and the city of Sevastopol as part of the territory of Ukraine.
The Republic of Poland further notes the Declaration by Ukraine that the Autonomous Republic of Crimea and the city of Sevastopol as well as certain districts of the Donetsk and Luhansk oblasts of Ukraine are temporarily not under the control of Ukraine and that the application and implementation by Ukraine of its obligations under the Convention is limited and not guaranteed in relation to this part of Ukraine's territory, and that only the government of Ukraine will determine the procedure for relevant communication.
As a consequence of the above, the Republic of Poland declares that it will not engage in any direct communication or interaction with present, de facto authorities in the Autonomous Republic of Crimea and the city of Sevastopol as well as in certain districts of the Donetsk and Luhansk oblasts of Ukraine and will not accept any documents or requests emanating from such authorities or through the authorities of the Russian Federation, but will only engage with the central authorities of Ukraine for the purposes of the application and implementation of the Convention.