Donetsk, May 11 - DAN. Representatives of the Russian Federation, Abkhazia, South Ossetia and the Lugansk People’s Republic arrived in Donetsk on Thursday to attend Republic Day celebrations.
The first guests began to arrive at the Solovyanenko Donetsk State Academic Opera and Ballet Theatre where an official ceremony will be held.
Some 600 foreign visitors came to Donetsk for the Republic Day holiday, the DPR head press service said.
Among the guests are South Ossetia President Anatoliy Bibilov, LPR People’s Council Deputy Chairman Vladislav Deinego, Abkhazia Foreign Minister Daur Kove, The Russian Federation Council members Sergey Mamedov, Olga Kovitidi and Sergey Tsekov and The Russian State Duma lawmakers Andrey Kozenko and Kazbek Taisaev.
Representatives of the Union of Russian Writers, public figures, political scientists and journalists are also attending the event.
An award giving ceremony is expected to take place at the Donbass Opera shortly. DPR head Alexander Zakharchenko will hand in state decorations and award Hero of the Republic titles. The awardees’ names have been withheld.
DPR marks Republic’s Day on 11 May. Three years ago today, it held a referendum on the region’s self-determination. More than 75 percent of the region’s residents attended the plebiscite. Almost 90 percent of voters supported Donbass sovereignty.*jk