Russian Ambassador to Ankara Alexei Yerkhov discussed with Turkish Parliament Speaker Mustafa Sentop the incident at the summit of the Parliamentary Assembly of the Black Sea Economic Cooperation (PABSEC) with the Russian delegation. Acting head of the permanent delegation of the Russian Federal Assembly to the PABSEC, Olga Timofeeva, who is participating in the forum, told reporters Friday.
"The Russian ambassador [in Ankara] discussed the incident involving the Russian delegation with the speaker of the Turkish parliament. The organizers of this event were supposed to provide security, and the question to them, of course, is very big, how could this happen. I know that the police came and interviewed witnesses of the fight. Actually, no one has the right to leave any provocation unattended," she said.
According to her, the member of the Russian delegation who was attacked Thursday in Ankara is feeling well and is in a hotel. "As for Valery Stavitsky, he is feeling well, under the control of doctors. He is currently in the hotel," she said.
Timofeeva also reported that several representatives of the Russian delegation continue to participate in the summit. "Because we felt that if we left, there would be no Russian position. And Russia's position should sound very loud. And no one has the right to speak differently to a great power," she stressed.
The head of the Russian delegation believes that by the incident at the PABSEC summit, the Ukrainian delegation did not achieve its goal, but, on the contrary, only drew attention to Russia. "The incident was staged. Ukrainian parliamentarians come and stand in front of the cameras, it's like in a good movie that is being filmed. But we have a different task. [Parliamentarians come to the forum] to talk about how to improve the standard of living, to consolidate the laws, to draw attention to a particular problem. It bothers us, but for some reason it doesn't bother the parliamentarians who come," she said, referring to the Ukrainian delegation.
"We are staying active on this platform, we think it is important to express our point of view and we will try in every way to call for a constructive approach. I would like that the circus that happened and provocations to be a thing of the past," Timofeeva added.
About the incident at the forum
The incident happened Thursday at a hotel in Ankara, where the two-day anniversary summit of the speakers of parliaments of the member states of the Organization of the Black Sea Economic Cooperation and the 61st PABSEC General Assembly is taking place. Earlier a video had been distributed in the social networks in which a Ukrainian delegate unfurled a flag and made some kind of statement. At that time, the Russian representative ran up and snatched the flag, and a short scuffle and exchange of blows ensued. The Russian representative received several blows to the face and head. After that security officers arrived at the scene of the incident.
Olga Timofeeva, the acting head of the permanent delegation of the Federal Assembly of the Russian Federation to the PABSEC, participating in the meeting, filmed the beginning of the incident and the tense situation in the hallways of the hotel where the event was taking place during a live broadcast with Olga Skabeeva from the sidelines of the event.
GSV "Russia - Islamic world"
Based on materials from TASS