Declaration of Independence of the Republic of Crimea

The Declaration of Independence of the Republic of Crimea was a joint resolution adopted on March 11, 2014 by the Supreme Council of Crimea and the Sevastopol City Council where they expressed their intention to join Russia, in the event of a Yes vote in a referendum that was to be held on March 16.[1] The participants were at the time subnational divisions of Ukraine.[2]

Declaration of Independence of the Republic of Crimea
CreatedMarch 11, 2014 (adopted)
Author(s)Supreme Council of Crimea and the Sevastopol City Council
Purpose

Controversies

The international community widely condemned the Declaration of Independence. A major source of criticism was that the referendum's adoption came after the building of the Supreme Council of Crimea was seized by the Russian military. During that time, no journalists were allowed inside the building to witness the council seating on the referendum.[3] The Council seating on the referendum was not included in the Supreme Council's original schedule, which had no meetings originally scheduled for March 11, 2014. Deputies were forcefully brought to the building by Russian militants,[4] and there is no evidence that there was quorum,[5] which was a requirement for the seating to even occur.

Translated Copy

The document reads as follows:[6]

Declaration of Independence of the Autonomous Republic of Crimea and Sevastopol:

We, the members of the parliament of the Autonomous Republic of Crimea and the Sevastopol City Council, with regard to the charter of the United Nations and a whole range of other international documents and taking into consideration the confirmation of the status of Kosovo by the United Nations International Court of Justice on July 22, 2010, which says that unilateral declaration of independence by a part of the country does not violate any international norms, make this decision jointly:[1]

1. If a decision to become part of Russia is made at the referendum of the March 16, 2014, Crimea including the Autonomous Republic of Crimea and the city of Sevastopol will be announced an independent and sovereign state with a republican order.[7]

2. Republic of Crimea will be a democratic, laic and multinational state, with an obligation to maintain peace, international and intersectarian consent in its territory.[7]

3. If the referendum brings the respective results, Republic of Crimea as an independent and sovereign state will turn to the Russian Federation with the proposition to accept the Republic of Crimea on the basis of a respective interstate treaty into the Russian Federation as a new constituent entity of the Russian Federation.[7]

Declaration approved by the Resolution of the Supreme Council of the Autonomous Republic of Crimea at the extraordinary plenary session on March 11, 2014 (signed by the Chairman of the Supreme Council of the Autonomous Republic of Crimea Vladimir Konstantinov) and by the Decision of the Sevastopol City Council at the extraordinary plenary session on March 11, 2014 (signed by the Chairman of the Sevastopol city council Yury Doynikov).

International Condemnation

Russia had officially recognized the Republic of Crimea as an independent state[7][8] and agreed to incorporate the Republic into Russian Federation. However, the international community condemned the referendum as undemocratic and illegal.[9] On 27 March 2014, the United Nations General Assembly adopted the "Territorial Integrity of Ukraine" Resolution, which recognized the referendum as part of the illegal annexation of Crimea by the Russian Federation.[10] One hundred nations, including the United States and the United Kingdom, voted in favour of the resolution. Fifty-eight democratic nations abstained, and a further eleven voted against.

References
  1. "Crimea parliament declares independence from Ukraine ahead of referendum". RT. March 11, 2014. Retrieved March 11, 2014.
  2. ДЕКЛАРАЦИЯ о независимости Автономной Республики Крым и города Севастополя (in Russian). Supreme Council of Crimea. March 11, 2014. Archived from the original on March 12, 2014. Retrieved March 11, 2014.
  3. "Коментар МЗС України щодо проведення місцевого референдуму в Автономній Республіці Крим 16 березня ц.р." Ukrainian Ministry of Foreign Affairs. March 15, 2014.
  4. "Роковини путінського аншлюсу Криму: Як це було". espreso.tv. Retrieved January 16, 2018.
  5. "Коментар МЗС України щодо проведення місцевого референдуму в Автономній Республіці Крим 16 березня ц.р." Ukrainian Ministry of Foreign Affairs. March 15, 2014.
  6. "Парламент Крыма принял Декларацию о независимости АРК и г. Севастополя". Press center of the Supreme Council of Autonomous Republic of Crimea. March 10, 2014. Archived from the original on March 13, 2014. Retrieved March 13, 2014.
  7. "Statement by the Russian Ministry of Foreign Affairs regarding the adoption of the Declaration of Independence of the Autonomous Republic of Crimea and Sevastopol". Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Russian Federation. March 11, 2014. Retrieved March 14, 2014.
  8. "Ukrainian prosecutors demand annulment of declaration of Crimea independence". ITAR-TASS. March 11, 2014. Retrieved March 12, 2014.
  9. "'Illegal' Crimean vote condemned". BBC News. March 6, 2014. Retrieved January 16, 2018.
  10. "General Assembly Adopts Resolution Calling upon States Not to Recognize Changes in Status of Crimea Region | Meetings Coverage and Press Releases". www.un.org. Retrieved January 16, 2018.
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