SIMFEROPOL, March 11. /ITAR-TASS/. Speaker of the Crimean parliament Volodymyr Konstantinov said the referendum on Crimea's accession to Russia would cost 16 million hryvnias ($1.7 million).
"The cost estimate of the referendum has been approved," Konstantinov told reporters, adding that the Crimean parliament had approved other documents necessary for the plebiscite.
Earlier, Crimea's Deputy Prime Minister Rustam Temirgaliyev said the referendum would cost 1.5 to 2 million dollars. The money will be spent on printing voting papers and technical support of the referendum.
Konstantinov noted that Kiev's decision to block the movement of funds on the accounts of Crimean Treasury would not impact the voting.
"We have finances of our own, our own budget and taxes. They will be sufficient. We are receiving assistance from Russian regions. Funding is coming; we do not have any problems," he explained.
Chairman of the Commission on Referendum Mikhail Malyshev said all Crimean citizens registered in the autonomy could take part in the voting on March 16.
"The voting papers which are being printed by a state-owned company, will be distributed among 27 territorial commissions. Then they will be delivered to district election commissions," Malyshev said.
- Crimea forms its own security service independent from Kiev
- Turnout at Crimea's referendum will reach 80%
- St. Petersburg governor invites Crimea’s Sevastopol mayor for visit
- Crimean parliament addresses UN, CE structures to assess human rights situation in Ukraine
- Kiev asks OSCE to send observers to Ukraine’s southern, eastern regions
- Crimean self-defense ready to stop provocations on border with Ukraine
On March 6, Crimea's Supreme Council decided on the autonomy's accession to Russia. Two questions are put up for the referendum: Do you support Crimea's accession to the Russian Federation as a citizen of the Russian Federation? and
Do you support restoration of 1992 Crimean Constitution and Crimea's status as a part of Ukraine?
Also on March 16, the Crimean city of Sevastopol will vote on accession to Russia as a separate entity. The decision was passed by Town Hall on March 6. City residents will be asked if they support Sevastopol's accession to Russia and offered to answer the questions of the Crimean referendum.
Chairman of the City Election Commission Valery Medvedev said the referendum on Sevastopol's accession to Russia will be recognized if voter turnout makes more than 50% of registered electorate. According to preliminary estimates, 301,000 Sevastopol residents have voting rights.