Kyiv, 15 March 2014 \u00a0\u2013 \u00a0\u201cThe only legislative body in Ukraine is the Verkhovna Rada of Ukraine. Neither President not the Cabinet of Ministers can approve a referendum procedure, not to mention the Verkhovna Rada of Crimea\u201d, said Deputy Chairman of the Central Election Commission of Ukraine Andriy Magera during a press briefing at the Ukrainian Crisis Media Center.<\/p>\n
The official emphasized that the Parliament of Crimea cannot approve a separate Constitution or determine the legal status of the peninsula. \u201cIt is not authorized to do that. Crimea is not subject to international law. The state of Ukraine is solely authorized to represent the interests of Crimea on the international arena,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n
In addition, Magera said he believed the voting ballot is phrased in a manipulative fashion. \u201cIt doesn\u2019t matter how voters will be filling in those ballots. What matters how these votes will be counted and interpreted,\u201d the official said.<\/p>\n
He also commented on yesterday\u2019s ruling by the Constitutional Court\u00a0 that deemed the decisions by the Crimean Parliament unconstitutional: \u201cThe Verkhovna Rada of the Crimean Autonomous Republic violated the Constitution of Ukraine. This is why today, the Verkhovna Rada of Ukraine decided to dissolve the Crimean legislature. This sends a strong message to local Crimean authorities as well as to the international community that tomorrow\u2019s referendum will not have any legal consequences at all.\u201d<\/p>\n
Magera added that the preparation for the presidential elections is under way but so far the Central Election Commission has not registered a single candidate.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"