Sergey Aksyonov also
emphasized that Crimean citizens had to live for a quarter of century in
economic recession, being separated from Russia and experiencing constant
interethnic tensions.
SIMFEROPOL, January
20. /TASS/. Autonomy that Crimea gained after a referendum held on January 20,
1991 helped the region combat Ukraine’s aggressive policy and contributed to
its reunification with Russia, Crimean leader Sergey Aksyonov said.
At Crimea’s first
referendum in the history of the Soviet Union, more than 93% of its citizens
approved of the creation of the Crimean Autonomous Soviet Socialist Republic.
After the plebiscite, the peninsula gained autonomy as part of the Ukrainian
Soviet Socialist Republic. However, the region regards this referendum as the
first step towards reunification with Russia.
"This is a
milestone date in Crimea’s modern history. On January 20, 1991 the peninsula’s
peoples during the referendum on the state and legal status of Crimea
unanimously voted for the restoration of Crimea’s autonomy as part of the
renewed Soviet Union. To a large extent, this autonomous status helped us
combat aggressive Ukrainization [policy of increasing the usage of the
Ukrainian language and promoting Ukrainian culture] and remain part of the
Russian world, preserve stability and accord. And ultimately, to return home
leaving behind the Ice Age of Ukraine’s annexation," Aksyonov said in a
statement on occasion of the Republic’s Day.
Aksyonov noted that
despite the outcome of the referendum, Crimean citizens had to live for a
quarter of century in economic recession, being separated from Russia and
experiencing constant interethnic tensions.
The Day of the
Crimean Republic became an official holiday in December 2014, when the local
parliament passed a special bill.
Source: ITAR-TASS
20-01-2019
