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More than 50 EU observers already in Crimea to monitor crucial referendum

ost of them note a calm situation in the region and say the referendum on March 16 is legitimate

© ITAR-TASS/EPA/ZURAB KURTSIKIDZE

SIMFEROPOL, March 16, 4:52 /ITAR-TASS/. A total of 54 observers from European Union countries had arrived in Crimea as on Saturday March 15, ahead of a crucial vote on the future of Ukraine’s autonomy in a referendum on Sunday, sources from the Strategic Communications Agency in Crimea told Tass on Saturday.

All in all, about 70 observers from 23 countries have been registered, including representatives from Poland, Austria, France, Germany, Belgium, Hungary, Greece, Italy and Latvia.

“These are deputies of the European Parliament, members of European national parliaments, as well as leading European experts on international law and renowned human rights activists,” the sources added.

They said all of them had been invited and sent by the European democracy and election monitoring institute in Brussels. They will monitor the voting, visit polling stations and participate in vote counting.

Most of them note a calm situation in the region and say the referendum on March 16 is legitimate.

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Ukraine crisis Referendum in Crimea

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