Turkish Companies Returning to Crimean Peninsula - Crimea Lawmaker

SIMFEROPOL (Sputnik) – Chernyak illustrated the statement on Turkish companies' return to the peninsula with the example of Yalta-Intourist hotel construction with the opening ceremony set for Monday.

"This unique aqua park is located in a park on the Black Sea coast. It was projected and constructed by the international Turkish company PolinWaterparks. This is one of the world leaders in water rides. We can see that foreign companies are not afraid of the Western sanctions policy," Chernyak said.

Investors from different counties have shown interest in health resorts and tourism in Crimea, Chernyak noted, stressing that one investment offer for a Crimean health resort amounted to several billion euro.

The relations between Moscow and Ankara deteriorated after a Russian Su-24 aircraft was shot down over Syria by a Turkish F-16 fighter jet in November 2015 and resulted in Russia’s decisions to introduce an embargo on a range of Turkish goods, as well as suspending its visa-free regime with Turkey. Bilateral ties began to improve following Turkey's apology in June 2016 and on May 22, 2017, Moscow and Ankara signed agreement on the mutual lifting of the restrictions.

The western states continually prolong sanctions against Russia, imposed after Brussels and Washington put the blame for the eastern Ukraine conflict on Russia and refused to recognize Crimea’s rejoining Russia as a result of the March 2014 referendum. Moscow has repeatedly refuted the allegations.