Donetsk Region will have its own referendum on NATO and Holodomor

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Donetsk Regional Committee of the Ukrainian Communist Party supports the initiative of their Crimean party mates and prepares an analogous referendum on the question of Ukraine’s joining NATO, leader of the Communist organization in Donetsk Region Igor Zhitinsky told a REGNUM correspondent. “The Crimeans were absolutely right. And we consider the reaction of the authorities as colossal ignoring of the people’s interests and opinion. President Yushchenko and Defense Minister Gritsenko are acting deriving from their own vision of Ukraine’s future instead of people’s opinion,” the politician believes.

According to Igor Zhitinsky, “the results of the voting should make politicians, who take into account only view of their American sponsors into account ignoring opinion of their people, at least a bit come down to earth.” Donetsk Communists prepare a similar referendum to be held in the near future, he said. “Donbass will surely express its opinion on the issue. Now we are examining experience of our party mates who held the referendum in Crimea. Our task is rather difficult, but we should do it. We shall make conclusions on our Crimean experience and our referendum will cover a wider range of issues. Of course, attitudes to NATO will be expressed first of all. Besides, most probably, the question of Holodomor will be also raised,” the politician promised.

On December 17, over 98% of voters at the referendum in Crimea expressed their disagreement with the policy pursued by Ukrainian President Viktor Yushchenko towards joining NATO, organizers of the referendum inform. According to the outcomes, 897,054 people took part in it, which is 58.21% of eligible voters. The number of people who oppose the presidential policy towards accession into NATO totals 885,387, or 98.7%; 9,692 (1.08%) stick to the contrary opinion. 1,975 ballots were pronounced void.

The referendum was held under an initiative of the Crimean People’s Assembly. The question “Do you agree with the policy pursued by Ukrainian President Viktor Yushchenko towards joining NATO?” was put on the referendum. The Crimean Public Council for Support of Constitutional Rights of Citizens that includes the Ukrainian Communist Party, the Social Democratic Party and other NGOs were in charge for organization of the referendum and ballots counting.