You're reading: Crimean parliament speeds up referendum, introduces question about joining Russia

  The proposed referendum on the status of the Autonomous Republic of Crimea has been moved from March 30 to March 16.

The Crimean Supreme Council passed a resolution on the holding of the Crimean referendum, including in Sevastopol, on Thursday, the press centre of the Crimean parliament reported.

According to the document, the referendum ballot paper will contain two questions:

1. Do you support Crimea’s reunification with Russia?

2. Do you support the restoration of the Constitution of the Crimean Republic dated 1992 and Crimea’s status as a part of Ukraine?

The question which gets most votes will be seen as a direct expression of the will of the population of Crimea, the document reads.

The Crimean parliament also addressed President of the Russian Federation Vladimir Putin and the Federal Assembly of the State Duma of the Russian Federation with a proposal to initiate the procedure of Crimea’s joining Russia as a subject of the Russian Federation.