ROME (Sputnik) — On Tuesday, Republic of Crimea Head Sergei Aksyonov said that Italian police seized Crimean wine at the Vinitaly international expo in Verona, calling the actions "scandalous." Ukrainian media reported that Crimean wines were taken away from the Russian stand after the Ukrainian delegation contacted local police.
"We are ashamed of the confiscation of the Crimean wine products at Vinitaly. The government of Italy should apologize," Stefano Valdegamberi and Luciano Sandona said in a statement published on the council's website.
Sandona said that the seizure of the Crimean wine products had "insulted" the Crimean people.
Valdegamberi, on his part, promised to contact Aksyonov on Wednesday and apologize for the incident on behalf of the Italian people.
It is planned that the members of the Italian delegation during the YIEF will discuss major investment projects in Crimea and sign several agreements on strengthening cultural ties with the region.
The Crimean peninsula seceded from Ukraine and reunified with Russia after more than 96 percent of local voters supported the move in a referendum in March 2014. Kiev did not recognize the referendum outcome.
