People in Crimea are gripped by the feeling that their dreams have come true – a desire to join Russia, which can guarantee the stabilization in their social and political life, the head of the monitors’ commission, Polish MP Mateusz Piskorski told RT.
RT:You were an observer at this referendum voting, can you tell us what you have witnessed during the voting session?
MateuszPiskorski: The referendum has been organized professionally, considering there was very little time for all the institutions to prepare, all the staff for polling stations, for electoral commission.
Everything went like in a professionally prepared country with professionally prepared staff. And this is an interesting point. This indicates that Crimea has already created its own state institutions which are able to work even in such extraordinary conditions, even having such a short time preparing such a huge project – all-national referendum.
So when it comes to the whole evaluation of the referendum, I would like to stress not only that it was very professional but very calm, with all guarantees of safety at polling stations but without too much exposure of police presence at the polling stations, and so on. So very peaceful, calm.
It was organized according not only to the law of the Autonomous Republic of Crimea but also according to most basic, most important international standards.
Aymeric Chauprade, geopolitical analyst, Marine Le Pen's foreign affairs senior advisor and observer at the Crimea referendum about the vote: "I can certify that in terms of international standards it was a democratic choice and historic choice for the people. Everything was OK, well-organized - people were very peaceful. They have decided to take into their hands their destiny, their future. Anyone who has sense of fairness should accept that choice and see that it is something incredible. I hope that the Western world will see that because there is nothing to say against that vote. It’s clear that people have chosen in a massive vote, in a massive procedure, to be reunified with Russia".
RT:What has been the reaction to the referendum on the streets?
MP: It is a kind of a national holiday one can say. All around, we are in the center of Simferopol, all around you can see thousands of people. Regardless that it is quite late now, they come here with whole families, with children, a lot of young people there with Russian flags.
They are already feeling like they have fulfilled their dream, their long-time will to join the country, which is in their opinion stronger, which is in their opinion is the one that can guarantee the stabilization in their social life, in their political life.
It is very interesting because on one hand we have seen a lot of the elderly people voting today in favor of joining the Russian Federation - then of course we can speak about the so-called post-Soviet sentiment and so on. But on the other hand we see thousands of young people and even very young people waving the Russian flags.
The statements, views and opinions expressed in this column are solely those of the author and do not necessarily represent those of RT.
The statements, views and opinions expressed in this column are solely those of the author and do not necessarily represent those of RT.