You're reading: Pro-Russian parties make new attempt to initiate referendum in support of Customs Union

Ukraine's Communist Party and Ukrainian Choice, a pro-Russian political group headed by Viktor Medvedchuk, an ally of Russian President Vladimir Putin, conducted the second congress to initiate a referendum on Ukraine's joining the Customs Union, a Russia-led trade organization that also includes Belarus and Kazakhstan.

The congress too place in Kyiv and
gathered 2,576 people. It formed an initiative group of 9,892 of
activists who then have to be registered by the Central Election
Commission if all legal formalities were observed during such a
congress. However, a local court in Kyiv earlier banned the Central
Election Commission from sending its representative to the congress.

The congress also approved a resolution
calling on Ukrainian people to conduct meetings in the regions in
support of the referendum.

This is the second attempt by the
Communist Party to organize a referendum on the same issue this
month. The first congress on the same issue took place on Sept. 8.
The Central Election Commission refused to acknowledge its results
because the congress was held without an official representative of
the Central Election Commission.  

Activists of Ukrainskiy Vybir took a second attempt to organize a national referendum on Ukraine’s joining the Customs Union in Kyiv on Sept. 29

Activists of Ukrainskiy Vybir took a second attempt to organize a national referendum on Ukraine’s joining the Customs Union in Kyiv on Sept. 29

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