Crimean MPs vote to join Russia escalates tension
Iran Press TV
Thu Mar 6, 2014 4:57PM GMT
Tension has escalated between Ukraine and its semi-autonomous region of Crimea after Crimean lawmakers voted unanimously to become part of Russia.
Tensions escalated on Thursday as Crimean parliament endorsed a motion asking Russia to allow it to join the country and announced March 16 as the date for a referendum to bolster its move with public vote.
In Simferopol, Crimea's capital, people rallied outside the local parliament building to stress their support for the move. Crimeans waved Russian and Crimean flags and carried posters, one of which read 'Russia, defend us from genocide.'
Ukrainian authorities are outraged at developments in Crimea, with interim Prime Minister Arseny Yatseniuk saying on Thursday that Crimea was and will remain an integral part of Ukraine.
'This is an illegitimate decision and this so-called referendum has no legal grounds at all. That's the reason why we urge the Russian government not to support those who support separatism in the Ukraine,' Yatseniuk told a news conference in Brussels following talks with EU leaders.
But the Crimean first deputy prime minister reacted by saying that the region is already part of Russia, and the vote is only needed to stamp this.
Rustam Temirgaliev said the peninsula was ready to use the Russian currency, if Moscow accepted its request to join the Russian mainland.
He also pointed out that from now on, Crimea considers all Ukrainian armed forces in its territory as occupiers and that all Ukrainian state property there, will be nationalized.
MOL/AB/SS
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