Crimea will nationalize natural resources and military facilities on its territory

SIMFEROPOL, March 11. /ITAR-TASS/. Crimean Prime Minister Sergei Aksyonov said on Tuesday that the Republic of Crimea would nationalize all natural resources and Ukraine’s military facilities located on the peninsula’s territory.

“As soon as people [who come to the referendum] give us the right to make independent decisions, we are going to work out a mechanism under which everything linked to the use of mineral and natural resources will pass into the property of Crimea,” the local Kryminform news agency quoted the prime minister as saying.

In the meantime, Crimea’s parliament Speaker Volodymyr Konstantinov told journalists last Sunday, on March 9, that most of Ukraine’s military units stationed in Crimea had come over to the side of the Crimean authorities and had sworn their allegiance to the people of Crimea.

“Most of Ukraine’s military units have come over under our control. They have pledged not to use force. We believe that we fully control the situation,” the speaker went on to say. According to Konstantinov, if Crimea becomes part of Russia, the servicemen, who want to, will be able to serve in the Russian army upon being sworn in and upon completion of certain legal formalities.

“If not, they will be free to leave Crimea,” Konstantinov explained, adding that Crimea’s self-defense units could also become part of the army and police force.

“They defended us in hard times, and we are certainly grateful to them,” Konstantinov said.

He assured journalists that people would have no problems related to property rights if Crimea was transferred under the Russian jurisdiction.

“There will be no problems with property. We are ready for this kind of provocations. There will be no problems with property or pensions,” the Crimean parliament speaker emphasized.

However, he admitted that a certain transitional period would be necessary but promised that it would be short.