Consultative referendum on NATO completed in Donbass (Ukraine)

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A consultative referendum concerning Ukraine’s joining NATO was completed in Donbass (Donetsk Region, Ukraine). The alternative voting was initiated by Ukraine’s Communist Party, the referendum was held on March 18-31, Communist Party regional committee official Igor Zhitinsky is quoted as saying by a REGNUM correspondent.

The regional public election commission established by the initiators reports that 2.36 mln people participated in the voting, which is 62.2% of eligible voters. 94.3% of the respondents (2.23 mln people) answered negatively to the question: “Do you support President Yushchenko’s policy towards Ukraine’s joining NATO?”. 44,900 people supported the president’s policy (1.9%).

2.2 mln people (93.2%) gave a positive answer to the question: “Do you support the idea of restoring and strengthening mutually beneficial economic ties between Ukraine and Russia, Belarus and Kazakhstan in the frameworks of the United Economic Zone”; 33,000 people (1.4%) were negative about it.