Interfax: Crimeans not to be forced to renounce Ukraine’s citizenship – pro-Kremlin leader

(Interfax – October 14, 2015)

Simferpol, 14 October: The need to notify the Russian Federal Migration Service [FMS] about second citizenship, which comes into effect for the residents of Crimea and Sevastopol from 1 January 2016, is not aimed at forcing regional residents to renounce the Ukrainian citizenship, the republic’s head Sergey Aksenov [Serhiy Aksyonov] has said.

“We know anyway that all residents of Crimea before Crimea’s merger with Russia had Ukraine’s citizenship. Many have property in Ukraine as well. No-one intends to seize Ukrainian passports from citizens,” Aksenov told journalists in Simferopol on Wednesday [14 October].

He also said that the regional authorities together with the FMS directorate for the republic of Crimea would identify the procedure of notification about second citizenship which does not require visiting the migration authorities. “We will find a format, how to notify [the authorities] about second citizenship without queues and welter,” Aksenov said.