Crimean parliament presidium offers May 25 as referendum date.

“Two issues will be put forward: holding the Crimean-wide referendum
on May 25 on the broadening of powers for the Autonomous Republic of
Crimea. The second issue: the economic situation in the Crimea and
government reports. We are planning to consider these issues to meet the
demands of those people who today are out in the streets and outraged,
seeing no future prospects,” Konstantynov said in a public video appeal
on Feb. 27.

The Crimean parliament continues working as usual, despite the events occurring in Ukraine and the Crimea, he said.

“The situation remains tense. A conflict started yesterday. Radical
elements did not allow us to hold an extraordinary session of the
Supreme Council. Following my resolution today I organized the
extraordinary Supreme Council session where we shall discuss issues of
vital importance for autonomy,” Konstantynov said.

It was reported earlier that the presidium of the Supreme Council of
the Autonomous Republic of Crimea initiated a referendum across the
republic on the subject of “improving autonomous status and broadening
its powers” and made the relevant announcement, Crimean Verkhovna Rada
Chairman’s Secretary Oksana Korniychuk said.

The statement says, in particular, that the quiet in the Crimea is
under threat as a result of “the non-constitutional seizure of power in
Ukraine by radical nationalists supported by armed gangs,” Crimean media
outlets said.

“Under these conditions, the Crimean Supreme Council, being the
highest representative body of power in the Crimea, and based on the
will of the Crimeans who elected it, is taking upon itself full
responsibility for the fate of the Crimea. According to the fundamental
democratic canons, the Presidium of the Crimean Parliament considers the
application of the principles of direct people’s rule the only possible
way of exiting the current situation. We are convinced that only a
Crimean-wide referendum over the improvement of the autonomous status
and broadening of its powers will enable the Crimeans to decide the
future of the autonomy without any outside pressure,” the statement
said.

The Supreme Council session was scheduled to begin at 2 p.m. (4 p.m.
Moscow time) on Feb. 27, but its agenda is unknown. It is also unknown
whether the Crimean Supreme Council deputies have accepted the
Presidium’s proposal.