Referendum's cost estimate ready - Crimean parliament speaker
ԱշխարհSpeaker of the Crimean parliament Volodymyr Konstantinov said the referendum on Crimea's accession to Russia would cost 16 million hryvnias ($1.7 million).
"The cost estimate of the referendum has been approved," Konstantinov told reporters, adding that the Crimean parliament had approved other documents necessary for the plebiscite.
Earlier, Crimea's Deputy Prime Minister Rustam Temirgaliyev said the referendum would cost 1.5 to 2 million dollars. The money will be spent on printing voting papers and technical support of the referendum.
Konstantinov noted that Kiev's decision to block the movement of funds on the accounts of Crimean Treasury would not impact the voting.
"We have finances of our own, our own budget and taxes. They will be sufficient. We are receiving assistance from Russian regions. Funding is coming; we do not have any problems," he explained.
Chairman of the Commission on Referendum Mikhail Malyshev said all Crimean citizens registered in the autonomy could take part in the voting on March 16.
"The voting papers which are being printed by a state-owned company, will be distributed among 27 territorial commissions. Then they will be delivered to district election commissions," Malyshev said.