Ukraine's leading English-language newspaper since 1995

SIMFEROPOL – The participants in a Crimean meeting on the protection of the peninsula's constitutional rights, which was held on Simferopol's central square on Saturday, have demanded that the Ukrainian leadership observe the Crimean constitution, and also called for Ukraine's accession to the Union State of Russia and Belarus.

Around 1,500 people participated in a rally organized by the Crimean republican organization of the Ukrainian Communist Party and the Crimean party organization of the Union of Leftist Forces.

The protesters were holding party flags and posters with slogans, entitled "Let's protect the Constitution of Crimea!" "Say no to Yushchenko's anti-constitutional actions!" "Crimean residents will defend their rights!" "Hands off the Constitution of Crimea," and "Crimean taxes should remain in Crimea."

The protesters said that the Crimean communists had collected over 1.5 million signatures of Crimean voters since January 19, 2009 to defend the constitution of the peninsula.

The leader of the Crimean communists, Ukrainian MP Leonid Hrach, while speaking at the rally, called for Ukraine's accession to the "Union State of Russia and Belarus, as it's the only thing that will save and protect us."

He said that the anthem of the Soviet Union should become the anthem of this union state.