Monday, May 12, 2014, 17:21
Separatist leader Roman Liahin, who is responsible for counting votes, said that the referendum should decide only the question about the right to self-determination within the region. Liahin reported on the issue at a press conference, reports Interfax- Ukraine.
According to Liahin, the fate of the area – whether it remains a part of Ukraine, becomes a part of Russia or maintains its independence, will be resolved later.
“We are fighting for the right to self-determination, which is guaranteed by the 5th article of the Constitution of Ukraine, by the European Charter of Local Self-Government , the UN Convention and countless international instruments,” said Liahin.
“We just want to express our right to self-determination. This means that after the announcement of the results of referendum, absolutely nothing will change in the status of Donetsk Oblast: we will not stop being a part of Ukraine, we will not become a part of Russia, we will only state to the world that we want changes,” said Liahin.
“We want to be heard, we want to decide the fate of our own region,” he added.
“We have the opportunity to choose from a variety of options in the future: maybe we will remain a part of the state of Ukraine, a unitary or federal, maybe we will become a part of Russia. Perhaps we will become an independent state or we will become a state in a confederacy of state relations.”
“We’re just fighting for the right to self-determination. I have no doubt that the vast majority of voters understand what they are voting for,” he said.
At the same time, a so-called member of the Presidium of the Council of the People’s Republic of Donetsk, Borys Lytvynov, acknowledged that during the preparation of the separatist referendum they used funds that have been set aside for the presidential elections.
In addition, he said that the PRD will not prevent the residents of Donetsk from participating in the presidential elections on May 25, reports Ukrinform.
“We will not stop those who come to the presidential elections on May 25,” said Lytvynov.
The original text is on Ukrainska Pravda at http://www.pravda.com.ua/news/2014/05/11/7025013/
Translated by en.pravda.com.ua
