The referendum on March 16, 2014, during which Crimeans voted for annexation by Russia, was not the first referendum on the status of the Republic, 1st was held in 1991, said the speaker of the state Council of Crimea Vladimir Konstantinov met with the French delegation in Simferopol.

A delegation of 10 French people's deputies on Thursday arrived in the Crimea from the Russian capital, where he had a meeting with the head of the state Duma Naryshkin. Deputies from France will visit Simferopol, Yalta And Sevastopol, where he will hold several meetings with the local leadership. In these moments there is a meeting of deputies from France with the elected representatives of the state Council of the Republic of Crimea.

"On 16 March 2014 was not the 1st Referendum. 1st Referendum on 20 January 1991, where 93 percent of Crimeans voted for the developing countries party to the Union Treaty. The Referendum was monitored by the OSCE, but the results were never implemented. The result was the development of the Autonomous Republic of Crimea of the unitary Ukraine. And from the first day began the struggle for the rights of the Republic. Three decisions of the Verkhovna Rada of Ukraine, our conquest of the referendum were ironed out, And we are left with only ceremonial duties, " - said at the meeting with the delegation from France Konstantinov.

He said that under the existing at the time of the Constitution of Crimea held a Referendum on March 16, the right to conduct " was written in the Constitution of the ARC And we used it ".

the Ukrainian foreign Ministry called the visit of the French deputies in the Crimea " failing to respect the sovereignty of Ukraine And conscious violation of the law of Ukraine ". Diplomatic France Ministry called the planned trip by the failures of international law.

sections: Politics