Moscow- Crimea will join Russia as soon as possible, Crimean Prime Minister Serhiy Aksionov told Interfax on March 16. "We will do everything as soon as possible in accordance with all legal procedures," Aksionov said.
The Crimean Supreme Council will convene on March 17 morning to ask the Russian president to join to Russia, he said.
It was reported earlier that 93% of Crimea residents voted for joining Russia on March 16, an exit poll publicized by the Rossiya 24 TV channel showed. Seven percent of Crimeans favored being a part of Ukraine. The voter turnout exceeded 80%.
In line with Russian laws Crimea may become a region of Russia if the majority of Crimeans support the decision at a referendum.
After Russian president gets a request from a country that wishes to become a part of Russia, he notifies of it both chambers of the Russian parliament, the Federal Assembly, and the government and holds consultations with them.
Then an international agreement should be signed between Russia and the country that what to join Russia. The agreement should regulate the name and the status of the new region and the order of acquiring Russian citizenship.
The agreement may provide for a transition period during which the new region must be integrated into Russia’s economic, financial, political and legal systems of Russia.
After the agreement is signed, the Russian president requests the Russian Constitutional Court to check the agreement’s compliance with the Russian Constitution.
The president then introduces the agreement for ratification and a federal constitutional bill on the adoption of a new region for approval to the State Duma, the lower chamber of the Russian parliament.
The agreement and the bill then go for approval to the Federation Council, the upper chamber of the Russian parliament.
