Ukrainian CEC: referendum in Crimea not possible

No referendum in Crimea (autonomy within Ukraine) is possible, the Ukrainian Central Election Commission said on Monday, March 3.

“Under effective Ukrainian legislation no local referendum may be called, prepared and conducted,” the commission’s press service said.

No effective Ukrainian law sets the procedure for conducting local referendums, it said. “Therefore, there is no mechanism for exercising the right of citizens to make decisions of local importance by conducting a local referendum. Under current regulations, any local referendum would be impossible,” the Central Election Commission said.

Article 92 of the Ukrainian Constitution says that “issues of organising and conducting elections and referendums are regulated exclusively by Ukrainian laws” and the Law “On All-Ukrainian and Local Referendums,” which in 1991 regulated issues of initiating and conducting local referendums, is no longer valid.

At the same time, the Crimean parliament on Monday officially changed the date of the referendum on the autonomy’s status and powers from May 25 to March 30.