Crimean speaker denies secession plans
KYIV. Feb 26 (Interfax) - Volodymyr Konstantinov, the chairman of the Supreme Council (Verkhovna Rada) of the Autonomous Republic of Crimea, has dismissed allegations circulated by some media outlets that Crimean lawmakers plan to make some radical decisions at an extraordinary plenary session, possibly including Crimea's secession from Ukraine, the Crimean Supreme Council press center reported on Wednesday.
"The Crimean parliament is not raising the issue of Crimea's secession from Ukraine. This is a prevocational act aimed at discrediting the autonomous republic's Supreme Council and depriving it of legitimacy. Unfortunately, this provocation has been organized and supported by the Makiyivka clan [associates of former Crimean Prime Minister Vasyl Dzharty] at the Crimean government, which is ready to sacrifice sociopolitical stability on the peninsula for the sake of retaining power. This is foreign land for them," he said.
"Crimeans! Countrymen! Crimea is our common home! Peace in our home is in our hands! Don't fall for provocations! Be calm and balanced in your deeds in the current situation," Konstantinov said.
