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Crimea and Sevastopol

Total of 69 international observers registered in Crimea

SIMFEROPOL, March 14, /ITAR-TASS/. Commission in charge of the pan-Crimean referendum scheduled for March 16 and due to demonstrate the Crimeans’ opinion on joining Russia has registered 63 observers from twenty-three countries, the chairman of the commission, Mikhail Malyshev said Friday.

“They will go to different districts of the republic tomorrow to assess the (technical) condition of the polling stations,” he said.

In the meantime, Saturday, March 15 will be the day of silence when no campaigning is held.

Dmitry Polonsky, Information Minister of the Autonomous Republic told Kryminform news agency there would be no formal ban for campaigning but “proceeding from international standards for organizing electoral procedures and referendums we decided that we should have a day of silence all the same.”

This means there would be no campaigning for or against the association with Russia. “Along with this, appeals to the public to come to the polling stations will be allowed.”

“We’ll do the monitoring of mass media, printed publications and public actions to prevent encroachments on this extremely important rule,” an official on the commission said. “Promotions related to the referendum will be fully banned March 15 and March 16.

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Referendum in Crimea

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