au·ton·o·mous
[aw-ton-uh-muhs]
adjective
1.Government.
a. self-governing; independent; subject to its own laws only.
b.pertaining to an autonomy.
2. having autonomy; not subject to control from outside; independent: a subsidiary that functioned as an autonomous unit.
From the article :
"Ukrainian opposition leader Yulia Tymoshenko slammed the plan, saying it would be illegitimate and unconstitutional."
The Ukraine wouldn't have had them as part of their country in the first place if they hadn't agreed to allowing the Crimea to be self-governing.
IMHO, the Ukraine is trying to have their cake and eat it, too by invoking their Constitution after already setting the Crimea up as autonomous.
“Ukrainian opposition leader Yulia Tymoshenko slammed the plan, saying it would be illegitimate and unconstitutional.”
In 2010 after the presidential election, when she lost(45%) to Yanoukovich (48.5%), she refused to step down and recognize the result (verified by UE observers) of the election.
What is illegitimate and unconstitutional - is the deposition by violence of a leader legitimally and democratically elected.
If the current Ukraine considers Crimea an autonomous state yet still part of the Ukraine, then Crimea’s legislative delegation should be able to question the Parliament’s legitimacy and command a sovereign state’s respect in their parliament. They should have their say and their rights in the new government.
Wait a minute.... the Ukrainian parliament filled with rebels banned their party and language. Never mind.