Crimean Tatar autonomy: Mejlis urges to introduce bills to Parliament

21.11.2019 15:15

Ukrinform

The Mejlis of the Crimean Tatar People approved a statement urging to immediately introduce bills on Crimean Tatar autonomy and rights of indigenous peoples to the Verkhovna Rada of Ukraine.

The statement was published on Facebook page of Chairman of the Mejlis of the Crimean Tatar People Refat Chubarov.

“Any treaties, decisions or actions of the authorities of any state related to the territory of Crimea, which is temporarily occupied by the Russian Federation, including the adjacent waters of the Black Sea and the Sea of Azov, the Kerch Strait and Syvash Bay, that restrict the rights and interests of the Crimean Tatar people as the indigenous people of Crimea are illegal from the moment of their adoption or implementation. The content of the agreements and treaties adopted in this field without the participation of the Crimean Tatar people does not meet the requirements of natural, customary and contractual international law,” the statement reads.

The Mejlis of the Crimean Tatar People calls on President of Ukraine Volodymyr Zelensky to "immediately introduce the bills “On Amendments to Section X of the Constitution of Ukraine "Autonomous Republic of Crimea" and "On Status of Crimean Tatar People”, which were prepared by the working group of the Constitutional Commission, to the Verkhovna Rada of Ukraine.

In May 2017, the working group was set up in Ukraine to elaborate proposals for amendments to the Constitution of Ukraine on the Autonomous Republic of Crimea. It involved members of all factions, leading lawyers, representatives of the Mejlis of the Crimean Tatar People. In April 2018, the working group adopted the text of the amendments and additions.

After the meeting of President of Ukraine Volodymyr Zelensky with the leaders of the Crimean Tatars, MP Mustafa Dzhemilev said that Zelensky supported the idea of creation of the Crimean Tatar autonomy.

Later, the President of Ukraine stated that granting autonomy to the Crimean Tatars was one of the ways to support the indigenous people of Crimea but it would not facilitate the de-occupation of Crimea.

On November 13, Permanent Representative of the President of Ukraine to the Autonomous Republic of Crimea Anton Korynevych said that the issue of Crimean Tatar autonomy should be brought up for a broader discussion as society did not understand what the issue was about.