MosJan Posted March 21, 2014 Report Share Posted March 21, 2014 Crimea, Sevastopol officially join Russia as Putin signs final decree Russia has finalized the legal process of taking Crimea under its sovereignty, as President Putin signed a law amending the Russian constitution to reflect the transition.Earlier Russian lawmakers ratified both the amendment and an international treaty with Crimea and the city of Sevastopol, which was legally required for the incorporation.Following the signing of the law, Putin thanked lawmakers and everyone involved in the historic change of European borders for their efforts to make it happen.“I ask lawmakers of both chambers to work actively and do everything we can, to make the transition process not only painless, but also beneficial for all Russia and the people of Crimea,” Putin said.The treaty and the bill were submitted for the approval of Russian lawmakers on Tuesday by Putin, following last week’s referendum in Crimea, which showed the overwhelming support of the peninsula’s residents for joining Russia.RIA Novosti / Mikhail KlimentyevRIA Novosti / Mikhail KlimentyevThe actual transition of Crimea to existing under Russian laws and regulations may take until next year. Local rules in the new Russian region will be changed to adopt the ruble, social benefits, tax requirements and other Russian legislation.As was promised by the Crimean authorities, the treaty includes preferences for the region’s ethnic minorities, particularly Crimean Tatars and Ukrainians. Their languages would be official in Crimea, on par with Russian.Russia pledged to make the process as smooth as possible by offering funding and recognizing various Ukrainian documents, which were in force in Crimea before it declared its independence last week.Moscow will retain military ranks and academic levels for Ukrainian troops who choose to serve Russia, give preference to Ukrainian officials who want to keep their positions in Crimea, and expedite the issuance of Russian citizenship to all residents of Crimea who want it. Citizenship would be given automatically to all except those who explicitly opt out of it no later than one month’s time.The current interim authorities of Crimea will be replaced with new ones after elections, which will be held in September 2015.Crimea’s rejoining Russia was triggered by an armed coup in Kiev, which ousted Ukrainian President Viktor Yanokovich from power. The new authorities took some alarming steps, including parliament passing a law revoking the regional status of the Russian language, which caused the predominantly Russian region to defy Kiev.The public uprising in Crimea culminated in a referendum, in which an overwhelming majority of over 96 percent voted in favor of asking for reunification with Russia. Moscow agreed, citing the will of the people and the historic justice of the move as its motives.Kiev and Western countries deemed Crimea’s secession and Russia’s acceptance of the peninsula illegal, a notion that Moscow denies. The US and the EU issued sanctions against some Russian officials and businessmen in a bid to put pressure on Russia over its stance on the Ukrainian crisis. Russian authorities mostly mocked the sanctions. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MosJan Posted March 21, 2014 Author Report Share Posted March 21, 2014 Mass celebrations in Crimea refute Western charges of annexation – LavrovPublished time: March 21, 2014 09:25Get short URLRussia's Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov.(Reuters / Sergei Karpukhin )Russia's Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov.(Reuters / Sergei Karpukhin )Share on tumblrTagsCrimea, Human rights, Mass media, Politics, Russia, UkraineThose who call Crimea’s treaty with Russia “illegal” are insulting Crimean citizens and their right to decide their own fate, the Russian Foreign Minister said in a speech to the Upper House of parliament.“When foreign colleagues use the term “annexation” I suggest that they do one simple thing – tell their press-secretaries and press services to study the footage from Crimea in which the residents of this peninsula demonstrate their sincere joy in joining the Russian Federation,” Sergey Lavrov told the senators as he presented the bills on Crimea and Sevastopol’s accession into the Russian Federation.“This joy, this true happiness cannot be played, rehearsed or directed. When people are using terms like “annexation” in such a situation, I consider it an insult to the citizens, an insult to their right to make decisions concerning their own fate – the right that they had used in full measure,” Lavrov said in his speech.Simferopol residents in the central square watch the broadcast of a concert honoring the signing of the acceptance of Crimea into the Russian Federation.(RIA Novosti / Mikhail Voskresenskiy)Simferopol residents in the central square watch the broadcast of a concert honoring the signing of the acceptance of Crimea into the Russian Federation.(RIA Novosti / Mikhail Voskresenskiy)On Friday the Federation Council voted to pass the bills on Crimea’s and Sevastopol’s accession into the Russian Federation officially increasing the number of Russian regions by two. Before the voting the documents were studied by the Upper House committee for defense and security and by the committee on international relations that found nothing contrary to Russian or international law.On Thursday the bills were passed by the Lower House by an almost unanimous vote – just one MP refused to support the move.The federation treaty was submitted to the Lower House by President Putin on Wednesday after he signed it with leading Crimean and Sevastopol officials on Tuesday. The treaty has been provisionally in operation since the signing.The draft introduces a transitional period until January 1, 2015 during which Crimea and Sevastopol must be integrated into Russia’s economic, finance, credit and legal systems as well as into the system of state administration.The treaty also provides that all residents of Crimea will automatically receive Russian citizenship. It also allows those who would prefer to keep their Ukrainian citizenship do so through notifying officials within one month of the treaty coming into force. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MosJan Posted March 21, 2014 Author Report Share Posted March 21, 2014 http://rt.com/files/news/23/f5/90/00/23.jpg Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MosJan Posted March 21, 2014 Author Report Share Posted March 21, 2014 People do look Happy Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MosJan Posted March 21, 2014 Author Report Share Posted March 21, 2014 Moscow to honor Russia-Crimea Union by renaming squarePublished time: March 19, 2014 09:09 http://cdn.rt.com/files/news/23/d3/e0/00/square-renaming.si.jpg Crimea, History, Politics, Russia, UkraineCommunist deputies in the Moscow city legislature are proposing to rename of one of Moscow's squares after the reunion of Russia and Crimea, as federal legislators were preparing to ratify the union agreement.One site deemed fit for renaming is the Square of Europe in the city center near the Kiev Train Station, the head of the Communist faction in the city Duma, Andrey Klychkov, told the Izvestia daily. He said there are other possible locations for the Russia-Crimea Reunion Square in the city, like the major crossroads near the Kiev Station or around the Simferopol Highway in the South of the city.Klychkov emphasized that the idea to give a Moscow square a new name came up before the Crimea referendum and the subsequent union treaty with Russia. He said it was in response to the suggestion to rename Institute Street in Kiev after the “heavenly hundred” – the people killed in the Ukrainian capital in the later stages of the Maidan protests in January and February.The politician promised that on Wednesday he will file an official renaming request to the mayor’s office. He added that at the same time the Communist Party would start gathering signatures in support of this initiative which might prove useful in case the authorities object to the idea.Such objections, however, do not seem likely at the moment as the head of the Moscow City Commission for Culture and Mass Communications fully supported the idea. “Crimea’s reunion with Russia is an event worthy to be perpetuated in a square name. I myself have received similar suggestions from my voters – like restoring a ship berth on the Moscow River and naming it after Sevastopol,” Yevgeny Gerasimov told reporters.The head of the Dorogomilovo District where the Square of Europe and the Kiev Station are located also said that he thought the renaming was appropriate.The Square of Europe was created in 2002 as a joint Russian-Belgian project dedicated to European unity. It is decorated with an installation of 48 poles bearing flags of the European nations and the Rape of Europa monument by Belgian sculptor Olivier Strebelle.Moscow already has several streets and avenues bearing Crimea-related names, such as Simferopol Boulevard, Kerch Street or Sevastopol metro station. They are located in the South of the city, along the major avenue called Balaklava Prospect. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MosJan Posted March 21, 2014 Author Report Share Posted March 21, 2014 Putin’s rating climbs to 5-year peak Over three quarters of the Russian public approve of President Putin’s work, according to the mid-March public opinion poll. Most respondents connected with a good handling of the Ukrainian political crisis and the help extended to the people of Crimea.According to the VCIOM All-Russian Public Opinion Research Center, since the beginning of 2014 Vladimir Putin’s rating has risen 15 percent and stands at 75.7 percent – the highest in the last five years.The pollsters say this is caused first of all by the complicated political situation in Ukraine and the Autonomous Republic of Crimea that was preparing to hold a referendum on joining Russia. 63 percent of respondents mentioned this as a primary reason of their support of the presidential course.Another large group - 32 percent - mentioned the victory of the Russian team at the Sochi Paralympics.Putin’s rating in major cities was slightly lower at 71.3 percent but also reached a five-year peak.The previous peak in Vladimir Putin’s popularity was in May 2012. 68.8 percent of Russians voiced their support for the president around the date of his inauguration.A different poll conducted by VCIOM on March 14 and 15 showed that 91.4 percent of Russian citizens approve of Crimea becoming a part of the Russian Federation. Only 5 percent said they were against such an outcome. 86 percent of respondents claimed they already consider Crimea - home to an ethnic Russian majority - a part of Russia.Crimea was caught in the turmoil that engulfed Ukraine after opposition leaders supported by rightist extremists ousted President Viktor Yanukovich in late February this year. On March 16 the republic held a referendum on joining Russia in which over 96 percent of voters supported such a move.Vladimir Putin addressed the Federal Assembly on March 18 pledging full support to Crimeans and praising their decision to return to Russia after about 60 years of separation. On the same day the Russian President and Crimean leaders signed a treaty that makes the Autonomous Republic of Crimea and the city of Sevastopol new parts of the Russian Federation.After the ceremony Putin asked Russian parliamentarians to ratify the treaty as fast as possible.The Lower House will hold a vote on ratification on Thursday and the Upper House is scheduled to vote on Friday. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MosJan Posted March 21, 2014 Author Report Share Posted March 21, 2014 Sanctions destroy anti-trafficking cooperation with US – Russian drug agency http://rt.com/politics/drugs-sanctions-us-russia-329/ Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MosJan Posted March 21, 2014 Author Report Share Posted March 21, 2014 US foreign aid agencies paid for Kiev street violence - ex-US agent Scott Rickard http://rt.com/shows/sophieco/ukraine-revolution-usa-support-246/ http://rt.com/shows/sophieco/ukraine-revolution-usa-support-246/ Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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