STATEMENT of Committee of Voters of Ukraine and Civil Network OPORA on illegitimacy of so-called referendum in AR Crimea

On March 6, 2014, Verkhovna Rada of Autonomous Republic of Crimea and Sevastopol City Council adopted a resolution on so-called referendum on the status of Autonomous Republic of Crimea and the City of Sevastopol. Committee of Voters of Ukraine and Civil Network OPORA state the following:

• Members of Verkhovna Rada of ARC and Sevastopol City Council do not have relevant powers;
• There is no law on organization and holding of local referendums in Ukraine;
• Terms of conducting and provisions on organization of so-called referendum do not meet general international standards.

Therefore CVU and OPORA, the largest Ukrainian organizations with long-term experience of professional monitoring of elections and referendums in Ukraine, do not recognize the legitimacy of the voting scheduled for March 16 and will not participate in official observation of these processes.

Also CVU and OPORA appeal to all Ukrainian, foreign and international organizations, which plan to observe the pseudo-referendum, to refuse from participating in political actions which are beyond Ukrainian and international legal framework. Work in Crimea on March 16 will be perceived as an attempt to legitimize illegal process, which can't be supported by organizations with experience, history and principles.

CVU and OPORA emphasize that trust and reputation are priorities in activities of any observation organization. Participation in monitoring of illegal referendum may be considered as politically motivated and biased.

The organizations claim that such an instrument of democracy as elections and referendums should be used only within the law and international standards.

This statement as PDF (EN)