Course:

Crisis Management A. Mastoraki!C. Christodoulopoulou!P. Theodoropoulos

Task:

Crimean Referendum, 2014

Held on March 16, 2014, the referendum asked the people of Crimea whether they wanted to join Russia as a federal subject, or if they wanted to restore the 1992 Crimean constitution as a part of Ukraine. On March 17, the results were in Russia’s favour and its president Vladimir Putin signed decree recognising Crimea as sovereign state. The referendum was not recognised by the U.S. and Russia was suspended from the G8. Our task was to observe the press releases of the italian political newspaper “Corriere Della Sera” and comment on the extent the issue took.

“Corriere della Sera” front page❖ The issue is located in the middle of

the front page!

❖ The articles about the Ukrainian crisis are on pages 2,3,4 and 5!

❖ It is clearly a major issue of the newspaper international headlines!

❖ Generally, the column of the front page is mildly written in a neutral tone!

❖ The author uses two phrases: “Russia is being punished” and “the leaders condemned” referring to Russia’s illegal practices, which prepay a negative perspective

Obama: “I hope that Russia is making the right choices. There is also the NATO”

❖ Neutral tone!

❖ Use of direct speech, quoting statements made by politicians; Obama, the Russian Foreign Minister Lavrov and Berlusconi!

❖ There are no special comments from authors!

❖ Also without any reliance on emotion

Russia is punished: “Out of the G8” Moscow: “We maintain the contacts”

Apart from the title, in which the author uses the word “punished”, the article has the same characteristics as the previous one:!

❖ Neutral tone!

❖ Use of direct speech!

❖ No special comments!

❖ No reliance on emotion

Conclusion

We could say that the newspaper gave a great importance to the issue of the Crimean Referendum and chose to stay impartial, citing the incidents based on primary sources. Therefore, the reader is able to form his own opinion.

Thank you for your attention!