Eastern Ukraine's residents don't want to have anything to do with Kiev, it's now a fact

voiceofrussia.com

In eastern Ukraine, the majority of residents of Donetsk and Lugansk regions have voted for self-determination. Sunday’s referendum was held amid the ongoing punitive operation by the Kiev regime. The final results of the vote will be announced later on Monday. For more on this issue the Voice of Russia spoke to Dr. Marcus Papadoupulos, British political analyst, publisher and editor of Politics First magazine.

The results of the plebiscites in Donetsk and Lugansk regions were predictable. They’re actually on the verge of breaking away from Ukraine. Do you think it’s a possible scenario?

According to the electorate of the Donetsk and the Lugansk regions that is exactly what people want. And they don’t just want it by a small margin, they want it by a very large majority. And that is democracy, regardless of what the US Government says, regardless of what the EU says and regardless of what the illegitimate authorities in Kiev say. The people in the eastern region of Ukraine are very concerned that the President who they elected has been overthrown, they are very concerned about the nature of the people in Kiev and, therefore, they’ve decided to opt for self-rule.

Could the Donetsk and Lugansk People’s Republics emerge as independent countries, could they separate completely? It is conceivable. In the last hour or so the Lugansk region appealed to the UN to recognize its independence. So, it is possible that they could become independent. Of course, the Western governments will not recognize their independence, like they didn’t recognize the independence of Abkhazia and South Ossetia. But there will certainly be countries that will recognize the independence.

We are hearing from the Western politicians that it is illegal, that there is no basis for having these referendums. I would argue there is every basis. The Ukrainian Constitution was severely violated, one could argue destroyed, when President Yanukovych, who remains a democratically elected leader of Ukraine, was overthrown. The Ukraine’s Constitution went out of the window instantly when he was overthrown. You have these repugnant neo-Nazi groups, ultra-nationalist groups coming to power in Kiev who are threatening the Russian speakers of Ukraine – they repealed the Russian language law, they are destroying the Russian cultural monuments. So, what on earth did the international community expect the people in those regions to do? Holding this referendum was a response to those events back in February.

That’s not my opinion, when I say –the majority of the people in Donbas don’t want to have anything to do with Kiev – that is not my opinion, it is now a fact. There were two referendums held over the weekend. Nearly 90% of people in the Donetsk region said they want nothing to do with Kiev. In the Lugansk region over 90%, I believe it is about 96%, have said they want self-rule. That is democracy.

And we are hearing allegations of improper behavior, it want perfect. Well, tell me where is an election held and it is perfect? There is no such thing as perfection and there is certainly no such thing in elections. Let’s not forget, in the presidential elections in America in 2000 African Americans in Florida were intimidated by voting by police blocks at the end of their neighbourhoods. We don’t hear much about that in the American press! We don’t hear much about that in the British press!

However, all you had to do over the weekend was have a look at the footage. The queues…thousands of people were queuing up to vote in Donetsk and Lugansk. They are a reflection of their concern about Kiev and a reflection of how Kiev no longer represents them.

Read more: http://voiceofrussia.com/2014_05_12/Eastern-Ukraines-residents-dont-want-to-have-anything-to-do-with-Kiev-its-now-a-fact-expert-7079/