An illegal referendum was held in Crimea on March 16th that resulted in the region's annexation by Russia. The referendum asked residents to choose between rejoining Russia or restoring Crimea's status within Ukraine from 1992. However, the referendum was deemed illegitimate by several international organizations and countries. While Russia recognized the results, international observers from organizations like the EU and OSCE did not participate or monitor the process. Reforms are continuing in Ukraine to combat corruption within the government.

1. 1
Illegal referendum in the Crimea as a
reason for the annexation of the Crimea by
Russia
On March 16, illegal referendum took place in the Crimea, which
resulted in the annexation of the Crimea by Russia. The number
of Russian troops in the Crimea increases. The world community
responds with sanctions. In Ukraine the work on the reforming
package is continuing; its purpose is to clear the government system
of corruption.
The residents of the peninsula were asked to choose one of two
variants in the process of the illegal referendum:
Do you support the idea of reunification of the Crimea on the
rights of a constituent entity of the Russian Federation?
DoyousupporttheideatorecovertheConstitutionoftheCrimean
Republic of 1992 and the status of the Crimea as a part of Ukraine?
KEY POINTS:

2. 2
Legitimacy of the referendum
The referendum is recognized as legitimate
by:
1. the Russian Federation
The referendum is not recognized as
legitimate by:
1. Venice Commission
2. UN Security Council
3. NATO
4. 28 countries of the European Union
5. The USA
6. Cabinet of Ministers of Ukraine
7. Leaders of G7 countries
8. OSCE
Participation of foreign observers
Participated:
1. Observation mission of the Russian
Federation
Did not participate:
1. The diplomatic mission of EU stressed
that the European citizens who were in
the Crimea and commented the so-called
“referendum”, had not officially represented
the European Union.
2. OSCE
Violations during the referendum
The monitors of the Public Chamber of the
Russian Federation have not found any violations
in the process of conducting the “referendum”.
Ministry of Justice of Ukraine applied
to the European Court of Human Rights
and OSCE concerning the facts of violations
in the process of conducting the so called
“referendum” in the AR Crimea.

3. 3
Recognizing the results of the Crimean referendum
Source
Results of Crimean “Referendum”:
Referendum was attended by 83,10% per cent of Crimean citizens. 96,77% per cent of the voters
in the Crimean referendum cast ballots in favor of seceding from Ukraine and rejoining Russia as a
constituent territory. We would like to remind you, that the referendum was prepared in three weeks.
The Supreme Council of the Autonomous Republic of Crimea adopted regulation “On
Independence of the Crimea” that empowered the Supreme Council of the Autonomous Republic of
Crimea to sign interstate agreement on rejoining the Crimea with Russian Federation.
Vladimir Putin signed a decree On Recognition of Crimean Republic that recognized it
independent. Russia called Ukraine for drafting new federal Constitution.
The deployment of Russian troops is constantly increasing – the total amount of Russian soldiers
is next to 21,5 thousands, while more than 60 thousands of Russian military officials are concentrated
at the eastern and southern borders of the country. Crimea is ready to provide “military support”
for eastern and southern regions of Ukraine in order to protect Russian-speaking population of
the aforementioned regions. The Majlis of Crimean Tatars addressed the Organization of Islamic
Cooperation for assistance in peaceful conflict resolution.

4. 4
Partial mobilization was announced in Ukraine: 20 thousand citizens will be called up for
military service, and 20 thousand citizens will join the National Guard. The Parliament of Ukraine
amended state the budget, allocating 6,882 billion UAH to Ministry of Defense and Ministry of
Internal Affairs to boost defense capacity.
International assistance
President Barack Obama announced freezing of Russian and Ukrainian top-officials assets,
allegedly interested in Russian invasion to Crimea.
The EU Foreign Affairs Council approved visa sanctions and freezing of assets in respect to 21
persons.
March 17 to 21, the joint Germany and USA mission will perform survey flight over the territories
of Belarus and Russia within the scope of implementation of international Treaty on Open Skies.
Ukraine does not call for NATO military assistance concerning the situation in the Crimea but
applied to Alliance only for technical military support.
The Acting Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Ukraine Andriy Deshchitza stated this in Brussels after
meeting with NATO Secretary General Anders Fogh Rasmussen in NATO Headquarters.
Reforms in Ukraine
The Members of Parliament together with community volunteers started
implementing the initiative Package of Urgent Reforms. For the sake of efficient
cooperation the officials have set up an international coalition Platform for
Reforms. The community requires politicians to fulfill 12 paragraphs of the
aforementioned Package of Urgent Reforms aimed at reviving and uniting
the country. Community leaders believe Euromaidan has not finished its core
mission yet – to change rules, not officials only.
Platform for Reforms includes 24 MPs from fractions. The Platform management will consist of
5 co-chairs elected on a rotating basis.
Transparency International Ukraine takes part in public
procurement law drafting
The Cabinet of Ministers of Ukraine approved a new version of
the law “On Public Procurement” on March 12. It was the first time in
governmental practice when the law was designed in collaboration with
the civic experts. It included the key public demands for prevention of
corruption in public procurement. Some of them are:
Obligation of state and municipal enterprises to report publicly on procurement for their own funds;

5. 5
• Prohibition for those who are related to bids organizers to take part in the public tenders;
• Obligatory reporting of officials on procurements, on execution of procurement contracts, and on
significant changes in the terms of contracts and subcontractors who receive more than 20% of the
contract cost.
• Increased access to information on procurement of natural monopolies, suppliers of water and heat for
millions of Ukrainian citizens.
• Righttoofpublicactiviststomakephoto,audioandvideorecordingsduringdisclosureoftenderoffers.
• Five times less preferences for participants of public procurement tenders under the new legislation etc.
However,atthesametimeleadingpublicanti-corruptionorganizationsmakegovernmentpayattention
to the intrigues of “the tender mafia” lobbying the introduction of electronic auctions, which means that the
wholecontroloverUkrainiantenderswillswitchtoRussiancompanies.Toavoidthis,expertswroteanopen
letter to the government.
Regional Level Anti-Corruption Fight
Oleksii Khmara, Executive Director of Transparency International Ukraine, prepared a set of
recommendations to reduce corruption on the regional level. The expert suggests an algorithm for the
government to implement the integrity standards itself, guarantee access to publicly significant information,
properly use public finances, collaborate only with transparent business, and conduct assessment of
corruption.
UKRAINE: AN URGENT ANTI-CORRUPTION AGENDA
Statement of Transparency International
Despite the continuing political instability in Ukraine, civil society organisations are pressing the
interim government to adopt a raft of anti-corruption measures to restore and bolster the rule of law
as soon as possible.
The goal is to put in place a legal framework to end the alleged abuses of power that characterised
the ousted regime of Victor Yanukovych and his inner circle, not least the use of public funds to
finance a lavish lifestyle.
Working together, six organisations, including Transparency International Ukraine, have
produced a road-map to reform. They are proposing changes to the constitution and the introduction
of new laws to:
• strengthen the integrity and accountability in public sector
• ensure transparency of political party financing
• guarantee access to information

6. 6
• ensure transparency and competitiveness in public procurement
• strengthen the state’s ability to investigate and prosecute corruption.
An anti-corruption strategy can be enhanced by having an independent coordinating body.
That is why these organisations are calling for a national anti-corruption commission that is both
independent and well-funded to implement and enforce anti-corruption laws.
Strengthening integrity and accountability
Transparency International advocates the use of asset declarations for politicians to avoid conflict
of interest and to ensure they do not use their positions of power for private gain.
In the past, the political elite in Ukraine were able to hand out government contracts with little
scrutiny. This earned the country the reputation as a kleptocracy, where there was impunity for those
who were connected to the government.
Investigative journalists are still sifting through the evidence found on the estate of Yanukovych to
document how it was possible to siphon off resources from the state for personal use.
Transparency matters
Citizenscanonlyholdtheirgovernmentstoaccountiftheyhave accesstotherelevantinformation.
That is why there need to be public registers of interests, including lists of who are the beneficial
owners of private companies. This will allow civil society to find out who receives state funds and will
highlight conflicts of interest, particularly in procurement.
The state spends millions of dollars of public funds with private contractors. These procurement
contracts need to be publicly vetted to limit conflict of interest and ensure adequate competition in
the bidding process.
Tough transitions
The continued unrest and uncertainty in Ukraine and the conflict in Crimea and on its eastern
borders with Russia will make it hard for any new government to follow through on a legislative
reform agenda. Civil society is working to address the deficiencies in the current legal framework.
Ukrainian Revolution against Corruption Bulletin is published by the Ukrainian National Chapter
staff of Transparency International. The Bulletin is aimed at foreign reporters, international and diplomatic
missions.
The aim of the Bulletin is to briefly and promptly inform the world on the actual events in Ukraine,
which started after Ukrainian protest against lawlessness of the corrupt Ukrainian regime.
Editors contacts: Ukraine,
Kyiv, tel: +38 (044) 360-52-42;
newsletter@ti-ukraine.org