Crimea declared independent state by local authorities
MOSCOW. March 17 (Interfax) - The Crimean Supreme Council has passed a decree "On the independence of Crimea."
"The decree 'On the Independence of Crimea' was passed at an extraordinary session of the Crimean Supreme Council on March 17, 2014. It was favored by 85 deputies," the Crimean Supreme Council's press center said on Monday.
"Based on the direct expression of will by the people of Crimea at the referendum on March 16, 2014, which showed the people of Crimea favoring a union with Russia, and therefore secession from Ukraine, and favoring the creation of an independent state; and in accordance with the Declaration of Independence of the Republic of Crimea passed at an extraordinary plenary session of the Supreme Council of the Autonomous Republic of Crimea on March 11, 2014, and at an extraordinary plenary session of the Sevastopol City Council on March 11, 2014, the Supreme Council of the Autonomous Republic of Crimea hereby rules: that Crimea be declared an independent sovereign state, the Republic of Crimea, in which the city of Sevastopol has a special status," the document says.
The Republic of Crimea intends to build its relations with other nations on the basis of equality, peace, neighborliness, and other widely accepted principles of international political, economic and cultural cooperation, the document says.
"The Republic of Crimea is asking the United Nations and all the nations in the world to recognize the independent state created by the people of Crimea," the decree said.
"As of the date of this decree, the Ukrainian laws and any resolutions passed by the Ukrainian Verkhovna Rada and other Ukrainian government agencies after February 21, 2014, will not apply in the Republic of Crimea," the document said.
"The activity of the Ukrainian government agencies in Crimea has ceased, and their powers, property and funds are taken over by the government agencies of the Republic of Crimea as determined by the government of the Republic of Crimea," according to the decree posted on the Crimean Supreme Council's website.
