Chechen Population Supports Referendum on Republic's Constitution

The collection of signatures in favor of the referendum on the Chechen republic's constitution "is to become the most important factor of political settlement in the Chechen republic and to include its population in political processes allowing to increase the efficiency of the counter-terrorist operation".

The opinion was voiced by Russian Minister for National Policy Vladimir Zorin, who commented to journalists on the completion of the signature collection on Friday. /13,200 signatures have been collected, with only 12,000 being necessary/.

The collection of signatures testifies "to the population's wish to participate in the settlement" that should be "taken into account by experts and politicians, even abroad", the minister believes.