"For the European Union, the Crimean referendum, as a form of direct democracy and people self-determination, is a danger and a bad example by itself," Luc Michel told the news agency.
Michel explained that a lot of people call for self-determination in EU countries, such as Flemish in Belgium, but also part of the country's French community that wants to go back to the French Republic, Catalans, Galicians, Basques in Spain, Scottish people in the United Kingdom, Venezians and Padanians in Italy and also Sicilians.
On March 11, 2014, Crimea and its special-status port city of Sevastopol adopted a declaration of independence from Ukraine, asking for reunification with Russia.
The declaration was followed by a region-wide referendum on March 16, 2014, and a March 18, 2014, treaty of accession between Crimea and Russia.
