A vow with a strong symbolic meaning. Several NGOs held a fake referendum on the “annexation” of the Russian embassy in Warsaw on Saturday to humorously protest the country’s actions in Ukraine.
“Annexations are in fashion this season. The Russians have ‘annexed’ occupied territories in Ukraine,” explain the organizers of this “consultation” in a press release. “We have decided to follow this path and hold a referendum on the annexation of the Russian Embassy… in Warsaw,” they continued.
“terrorrussia”
These NGOs also referred to a viral prank on social media in which the Czechs are offered to take the Russian enclave of Kaliningrad.
Both the Czech joke and the Polish initiative were inspired by Moscow’s recent announcement of the annexation of four Ukrainian regions following referendums described as “sham” by Westerners.
Waving blue and yellow Ukrainian flag and banners with slogans like ‘Terrorussia’, ‘Hands off Ukraine!’ and “Stop this evil!” Some 3,000 people, according to the organizers, participated in this fictitious referendum in Warsaw.
The queue to vote extended to the street that housed the lavish Embassy of Russia, in front of which the ballot box had been placed. The question that was asked was: Should Poland annex the Russian embassy? And three answers, all “yes”, were possible.
“It is a much more democratic idea than these referendums on Ukrainian territory that were carried out under (bullets from) weapons and missiles,” Mariia Volkolup, a 33-year-old Ukrainian lawyer who lives in the Polish capital, told AFP.
many votes
The organizers of the “referendum” have proposed that the embassy building be used for housing refugees, be transformed into a cultural center, a zoo and even public toilets.
Grigori, a Russian who left Moscow in August, took part because, he told AFP, he “condemns this war waged by (Russian President Vladimir) Putin” and wants to show that “not all Russians support it”.
The 46-year-old, who moved to Warsaw because he felt complicit in the war by staying in Russia, welcomed the mocking move.
“It is a good idea (…). I think you should never lose your sense of humor. Because wars are started by very, very serious people,” he said.
The organizers of the event assured that they would send an open letter to the Polish leaders asking them to expel the Russian ambassador.
Source: BFM TV
