No infringements of freedoms and incredibly high turnout at Crimean referendum - observers

http://voiceofrussia.com/

One of the international observers at the referendum which is currently under way at the Crimean Peninsula in Ukraine, Enrique Ravello from Spain, notes that the voters’ turnout at the referendum is “incredibly high”. This referendum is being held to reflect people’s opinion on whether Crimea should remain a part of Ukraine or separate from it.

“I have visited three polling stations,” Mr. Ravello says, “and I saw that as a rule, the voting is going on quite normally. In a radical departure from what some Western media sources are saying, nobody is putting pressure on anyone about how he or she should vote. Nobody is creating any obstacles to anyone from the point of view of the freedom of movement. By all appearances, people are feeling themselves quite free. They have all the necessary conditions to freely express their will.”

“Some Italian media sources are saying that the airport of Simferopol, the capital of the Crimean autonomy, is allegedly controlled by Russian troops,” Enrique Ravello continues, “but I didn’t see even a single Russian serviceman. However, I was detained by the Ukrainian police for 3 hours, and another observer, from Belgium, - for 6 hours.” Enrique Ravello is a representative of Catalonia in the Spanish parliament.

“On November 9, Catalonia is also planning to hold a referendum on whether to remain a part of Spain or not,” he says. “However, the Spanish government is trying not to let Catalonians hold such a referendum. Nevertheless, many people in Catalonia are still going to hold it.” “It looks like there is more freedom in Crimea than in Catalonia,” Mr. Ravello concludes. “The example of Crimea will inspire the Catalonians who want to freely express their will.”

Read more: http://voiceofrussia.com/news/2014_03_16/No-infringements-of-freedoms-and-incredibly-high-turnout-at-Crimean-referendum-observers-8417/