Lawmaker: Norwegian Delegation to Start 6-Day Visit to Russia's Crimea on Sunday

Sputnik International

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SIMFEROPOL (Sputnik) - A delegation from Norway will arrive on Sunday to Russia's Crimea with a six-day visit, during which it will travel around the peninsula and hold meetings with Crimean lawmakers and public figures, Yuri Gempel, the head of the Crimean parliament's committee on international relations, told Sputnik.

The visit of the delegation, which includes public figures, representatives of academia, agriculture and entrepreneurship, will last through October 6.

"The delegation from Norway arrives in Crimea on Sunday morning. We have close business ties with the Norwegians in the framework of the public diplomacy [JB emphasis] project. This visit is important as we are breaking the information blockade in Norway. The delegation includes practically representatives of all parties that exist in Norway. They are not just citizens, they are public figures, including members of various parties," Gempel said.

The delegation is expected to visit Yalta, Sevastopol, Simferopol, Bakhchysarai and a number of local sights as well as to hold a meeting with Crimean parliament chairman Vladimir Konstantinov.

Delegations from a number of countries, including France, Germany, Italy and Bulgaria have also visited the peninsula despite sanctions imposed on Moscow following the 2014 referendum on Crimea rejoining Russia.