Donetsk, Sep 19 — DAN. The Donetsk People’s Republic Public Chamber has appealed to DPR Head Denis Pushilin and the Republic’s parliament to hold a referendum on joining Russia.

The Public Chamber members unanimously supported the appeal. The document was signed by Public Chamber chairman Alexander Kofman.

“I appeal to you not only on behalf of the Republic’s Public Chamber but also all DPR citizens: teachers and doctors, veterans and large families, students, coal miners, steelmakers, farmers — all who stayed back here to live, work, bring up children and defend Donbass, ” the document said. “They all speak in unison about one thing: it is time for decisive action. We’ve long felt and known that Donbass is Russia; we’ve been fighting for it for the long eight years; we daily suffer strikes at our homes, streets, hospitals, schools and kindergartens. It is time to erase the non-existing border between our states as it has long been erased in our hearts, and hold a referendum on the Donetsk People’s Republic joining the Russian Federation.”

“We wish the Russian Federation border to run between us and Ukraine. We want to become a part of one big Motherland, Russia. The Donbass people deserves it, ” the document said. 

Earlier on Monday, the Lugansk People’s Republic Public Chamber brought forward a similar initiative.*jk