Dmitry Peskov, Russian President Vladimir Putin’s press secretary, has claimed that any refusal to recognize the elections will be of no consequence. This, however, is clearly not the message on the ground. Lists are being drawn up by the occupation administrations in Crimea of all public sector workers and even the staff of private firms, with them being threatened with dismissal or other penalties if they don’t turn up at the polling booths on September 18. There is also at least one example circulating of a similar order to attend campaigning events in support of the ruling United Russia party.
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Halya Coynash: Crimean Tatar leader calls for boycott of Russia’s illegitimate elections in occupied Crimea
Crimean Tatar Mejlis leader Refat Chubarov has addressed all Crimeans calling on them to boycott the Russian parliamentary elections which Russia is insisting on holding in annexed Crimea. His appeal coincides with a Ukrainian parliamentary resolution asking the international community to join Ukraine in not recognizing the elections in Crimea.
