Residents of Crimea, supporting the adoption of a decision of the Supreme Council of the Republic to call a referendum, gathered near the parliament building on Feb. 28, RIA Novosti reported.
Now there are 50-70 activists and about the same number of journalists. Several dozen people were on duty at the Supreme Council overnight, and now their number is growing. The building has a sound system, patriotic songs about the Great Patriotic War, the Crimea and Sevastopol are playing.
The participants expect a concert with the participation of Russian artists will be held at the parliament on Feb.28. "Now we setting the stage, when the concert will begin, I can't say exactly," the representative of Russian Movement of Crimea Oleg Slyusarenko told RIA Novosti said without specifying exactly which artists will participate in the concert.
On Feb. 25, several residents of Crimea began protesting in front of the Supreme Council building, demanding the MPs not recognize the country's new leadership, which came to power after the riots and clashes in Kiev. Furthermore, participants demanded holding a referendum in which residents of the Crimea would choose the path of further development of the region. Crimean parliament then called for a referendum on expanding the powers of autonomy on May 25.
Also, the Supreme Council appointed Prime Minister Sergei Aksenov, the leader of Crimea's Russian Unity public and political movement on the night of Feb. 27. Aksenov said that he considered the legitimate president to be Viktor Yanukovich and intends to obey him.
A change of power in Ukraine took place over the weekend. Verkhovna Rada (parliament) ousted President Yanukovich from power, demanding a change to the constitution, the duties entrusted to the President and the Speaker Oleksandr Turchynov announced presidential elections on May 25.
Yanukovich also said that he is the legally elected head of state, and the country has all the hallmarks of a coup. Moscow doubts the legitimacy of decisions of the Verkhovna Rada .
Translated by S.I.
Edited by C.N.