Over half of Ukrainians support formation of Crimean Tatar autonomy

Some 57% of Ukrainian citizens support the formation of Crimean Tatar autonomy after the de-occupation of Crimea and 61% support the status of the Crimean Tatar people as an indigenous people of Ukraine, according to a survey conducted by the Ilko Kucheriv Democratic Initiatives Foundation and the Razumkov Centre's sociological service.

"The absolute majority of Ukrainian citizens (57%) support the formation of Crimean Tatar national autonomy in Crimea after liberation from Russian occupation," the survey revealed.

Compared to the poll conducted by the Democratic Initiatives Foundation in 2018, support for the formation of Crimean Tatar national autonomy increased by 7% with a simultaneous reduction, by 6%, in the number of those who oppose such developments. The growth was largely due to an increase in the number of respondents who unequivocally support the proclamation of Crimean Tatar national autonomy.

Currently, the largest support for Crimean Tatar national autonomy remains in Ukraine's western (66%) and central (64%) regions, and the lowest support was recorded in the country's southern (48%) and eastern (44%) regions.

At the same time, according to the Democratic Initiatives Foundation, 61% of respondents support the legislative consolidation of the status of the Crimean Tatar people as an indigenous people of Ukraine, which recently occurred after the adoption of the Law of Ukraine "On Indigenous Peoples of Ukraine."

The greatest support for granting the status of an indigenous people to the Crimean Tatars is observed in Ukraine's western (71%) and central (68%) regions and the lowest support in the eastern and southern (49%), where there are also many people undecided on this issue.

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