Gazeta Wyborcza

by ricz, 24-03-2003 (translation M.L.)

I've been telling this for a long time already that Chechens will go to vote in this referendum. Moscow threatened and tempted them with promises at the same time. Those who agitated against participation in the referendum have been disappearing without a trace. Authorities silently warned that if a street, region or village won't vote as it suppose to, problems might begin - there will be no bread, electricity, gas, pensions will arrive late. And people went and voted, but when voting, they didn't expressed what they really think. The referendum was a formality, which won't bring peace to the Caucasus any closer.