President of Ukraine Petro Poroshenko is confident that the results of the so-called presidential elections in the in the temporarily occupied Crimea are falsified.
President Poroshenko gave the position in his video statement, Ukrainian News Agency reports.
"Neither the fixed 'voting turnout' nor the made up "result" correspond to the real activity of the inhabitants of the peninsula. Published official "data" is nothing more than falsification. And speaking with the famous Russian idiom, this is a worthless piece of paper," he said.
President Poroshenko says the so-called presidential elections in the temporarily occupied Crimea by the Russian occupying administration is another brutal violation of international law by Russia and thanks international partners for the clear and uncompromising position voiced on the eve of the unlawful elections that their results will not be recognized and that Crimea is an integral part of Ukraine. He also thanks praises the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe and other international partners for the decision not to take part in the monitoring of illegal elections in the occupied Crimea.
"The results of illegal voting are null and void and will not have any legal consequences. Legitimate presidential elections in Crimea may only be the elections of the President of Ukraine," he said.
The President says the Ukrainian authorities will have to make a list of those who planned, promoted, organized, campaigned or participated in the prudent electoral process in Crimea and present it to strengthen sanctions against the occupying Russian authorities.
"The legitimacy of the presidential elections in Russia and the allegedly elected candidate is questioned not only by the unlawful conduct of voting in the temporarily occupied Crimea. It was, in general, a political farce that has nothing to do with elections in the democratic sense of this process. It was a choice without choice, without real political competition, without freedom of speech, without equal opportunities," he said.
He calls on international partners to increase the sanctions pressure on the Kremlin.
President of Ukraine Petro Poroshenko thanks residents of Crimea for not taking part in the so-called presidential elections in the temporary occupied Crimea despite of pressure.
"I am grateful to the Crimeans who did not participate in this farce, despite serious pressure they were subjected to. They were threatened, forced, called to the so-called polling stations with gifts. But their silent protest eloquently testified - Crimea is Ukraine!" he said.
He says the Ukrainian government will intensify its efforts, including in the framework of international organizations and judicial authorities, in order to put an end to the gross violation of the human rights by the occupying authorities in Crimea.
He says Ukraine will continue to fight for the release of all Ukrainian political prisoners who are behind bars on the peninsula and in Russia.
As Ukrainian News Agency earlier reported, according to the Russian Central Election Commission, Russian President Vladimir Putin has 76.67% of the vote at the presidential elections of March 18 with 99.81% of protocols processed.
According to the Russian Central Election Commission, the voter turnout is over 60% in the Crimea and 92% of voters backed Russian President Vladimir Putin.
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