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As on the holiday. Crimea votes despite the rain. In the morning the turnout on the voting
is high. Crimeans - young and old - mainly vote "for" the annexation to Russia.
Russia is our homeland
Jobs, city appearance, the attitude towards business -- Ukrainian authorities did not look after this.
However, the right way to vote is stated on each corner -- agitation reminds. Despite
the 'two days of silence' before the referendum no one has cleaned it up. The 'green men'
are only near Ukrainian military units. Near the voting precincts -- police and sometimes
the representatives of 'Self Defense'. As previously, journalists are not very welcomed here.
In order to get accredited for the referendum we have been queuing half of the day. However,
this document still does not give permission to film the voting process.
We should have registered at one of the precincts prior to its opening. Otherwise, no one will let the filming.
Journalists are passed without any problems only to film the officials. Crimean parliament's
speaker Vladimir Konstantinov voted in music school. His mood is raised. The forecasts
are optimistic.
Vladimir Konstantinov, Chairman of the Supreme Council of Crimea: 'I have voted for the happy future'
For the 'happy future' have also voted some representatives of the Crimean Tatars.
In Simferopol it was immediately concluded that Crimean Tatars disobeyed their leaders and
took part in the referendum
Sergey Aksenov, Prime Minister of Crimea: They see there are only kind relationships between the Russians and Crimean Tatars and
that everything we do only brings positive. They understand, only positives will come after today's voting.
But leaders of Crimean Tatars convince -- there only are isolated cases of voting. For instance,
in Bakhchisaray, Crimean Tatars have not even been included to the election committees -- says Ilmi Umerov.
Even if there are some leaks of information about Crimean Tatars going to the referendum.
You shall not trust this, because this is a lie.
Those who think of themselves as Ukrainians have ignored the referendum. Instead of voting
they decided to cook varenyki. We have agreed on the interview with two families, but later
they have refused to do it. They fear for their lives. It is dangerous to be Ukrainian
in Crimea. To be more specific, it is dangerous to be Ukrainian in Crimea (repeats the phrase in Ukrainian).
Vasiliy Ovcharuk is one of those, whose photo was labeled 'Traitor of Crimea' and hanged
near entrances to the houses. He says lots of Ukrainians has already left the peninsula.
He himself is not planning to leave Crimea.
Vasiliy Ovcharuk: I am a citizen of Ukraine. I have been living here for more than 40 years. Where should I go?
Crimean Tatars are not planning to leave either. They are preparing to live in another country,
said Refat Chubarov in the interview. He looked very tired.
Refat Chubarov, Chairman of the Mejlis of Crimean Tatars: 'This is our land. Those who vote, are the ones who have taken our homes.
I understand them. But I do not understand why they have decided to dispose of our land.
Unlike Chubarov, the self-proclaimed Crimean Prime Minister Sergei Aksenov looked very happy
and even promised to drink for successful referendum
Sergey Aksenov, Crimean Prime Minister: 'In the evening we all want to celebrate and raise a glass'
Sergey Aksenov came to the voting site together with the MP of the State Duma, which came
to Crimea as an observer
Everything is clear. Mobile voting. We have the experience as observers in different countries. But the voting has been organized very quickly.
In Crimea there are 123 observers with the 'international' status. In general, among them are those sympathetic
to Russia, assuring they did not come for money.
Mateusz Piskorski, Deputy of Sejm of Poland: No one pays. These are the EU money to support the nongovernmental organizations.
Mateusz Piskorski -- on his motherland is considered to be quite a radical politician
and the ideological leader of the local skinhead movement. Among the observers there also are
the representatives of the Greek Communist Party -- Charalampos Angourakis, who is known as neo-Stalinist.
Aleksandr Chernenko, Chairman : In their own countries those people represent radical, neo-Nazi organizations.
They are European citizens, but in the environment of the monitoring missions they do not have any trust.
Committee of Voters of Ukraine, as well as 'OPORA' are not watching the Crimean referendum.
They simply inform about what is happening, Inspectors from the OSCE have not been allowed to the peninsula.
First results of the Crimean survey are expected by the end of the day.
Vladimir Gorkovenko, Koshelenko Daria from Crimea, 'Sobytia Nedeli'.