The Chairman of the Verkhovna Rada of Ukraine, Ruslan Stefanchuck, conducted “legal training” for the Russian occupiers on their preparation of a referendum on establishing the "Kherson People's Republic."
On his Facebook page, Stefanchuck explained why “even the attempts to hold such pseudo-referendum will not have anything to do with the Ukrainian legislation nor with such a form of direct democracy as a referendum.”
"First, per Article 73 of the Constitution of Ukraine, only an all-Ukrainian referendum determines the changes in the territory of Ukraine. A local referendum cannot resolve such issues. In addition, paragraph 3 of Part 2 of Article 3 of the Law "On All-Ukrainian Referendum" states that the issues aimed at eliminating Ukraine's independence, violating Ukraine's state sovereignty territorial integrity, and threatening Ukraine's national security cannot be the subject of an all-Ukrainian referendum. We have foreseen this," the Chairman of the parliament said.
Stefanchuk stressed that holding regional or city referendums is illegal and impossible. There is no law on local referendums in Ukrainian legislation yet.
"According to Part 1 of Article 19 of the Law “On the Legal Regime of Martial Law,” all-Ukrainian and local referendums are prohibited under martial law," Stefanchuk added.
According to the Chairman of Verkhovna Rada, what the Russian occupiers are trying to do will have no legal consequences other than criminal liability for the organizers and executors of the referendum.
“Kherson, as well as other Ukrainian cities - is Ukraine not only geographically but also by spirit and strength. That is why the occupier and all his clumsy attempts to destroy Ukrainian statehood have only one way to go: where we sent their warship,” Stefanchuk emphasized.
Earlier, the deputy of the Kherson regional council Serhyi Khlan reported that the occupiers are preparing a referendum on creating the Kherson People's Republic. Representatives of the aggressor call the regional authorities with a proposal to cooperate.