Bulgaria's Ataka Party to Seek Parliamentary Recognition of Crimea Referendum

Bulgaria's opposition Ataka party will propose to Parliament to recognize the results of Crimea's referendum to join Russia, RIA Novosti has reported.

The Russian news service quoted Ataka leader Volen Siderov as saying on Friday the party "recognizes the referendum and Crimea as a part of the Russian Federation."

"We have seen with our own eyes that life in Crimea is going on as normal ... there is no tension in Crimea. This is what we'll say in the Bulgarian parliament," Siderov said following a meeting with Crimea leaders in Simferopol.

Pro-Russian forces took control of Crimea in February after Ukraine's pro-Russian president Viktor Yanukovych was ousted amidst street protests. A referendum on joining the Russian Federation was held in Crimea the following month with most voters backing the secession from Ukraine. Many Ukrainians loyal to the government in Kiev, however, boycotted the vote.

The EU and US have condemned the referendum  as illegal, citing the Ukrainian Constitution which stipulates that the status of any part of the country's territory can only be changed through a nationwide referendum.