SIMFEROPOL, March 07. /ITAR-TASS/. Around 1,250 polling stations will open in Crimea for local residents to make their choice at a referendum on March 16, chairman of the election committee for referendum at the Autonomous Republic of Crimea Mikhail Malyshev said. He added that Crimean election committee planned to print more than 2,200,000 ballot papers for a referendum in Crimea on March 16.
“We have calculated approximately that 2,200,000 ballot papers should be used on March 16. This number of ballot papers is planned to print and use at a referendum,” he said.
These ballot papers would be printed at state-run printing house Tavrida, Malyshev said. He noted that all ballot papers would have protective marks. “We will settle the issue within a few days, naturally ballot papers will have protective marks against any forgery,” Malyshev added.
Malyshev also expressed hopes that international observers will come to monitor a referendum in the Autonomous Republic of Crimea on March 16.
“We hope that not only Russian observers will be present at the referendum on March 16. We hope that those who seek to give an unbiased assessment to referendum will be present,” Malyshev said.
He said the commission on the referendum will endorse an appropriate provision on the observers who will have an opportunity to do their work on the date of the polling.
Also, the authorities will open an information center where all the data on the voting will be accumulated.
“We’ll inform everyone, including reporters, on the progress of the referendum, as well as registration and participation of foreign observers,” Malyshev said. "We envisioned this from the very start."