Mustafa Jemilev Took Part in Discussion Club Titled «Future of Crimea», Prague

13 October 2011

On October 12, 2011 in conclusion of the 15th International Conference “Forum 2000” held in Prague from 9 to 12 October, 2011 the discussion club titled “Future of Crimea” was held in Gete Institute, attended by the Chairman of Mejlis of the Crimean Tatar people, MP of Ukraine Mustafa Jemilev. The organizer of the regional discussion panel of the Forum was one of the biggest non-Governmental organizations of the Czech Rebuplic – International Relations Association.

The moderator of the roundtable that was dedicated to the prospects of Crimea, as well as wide range of issues, related to the history, culture, economics, religion and of course politics, was the famous Czech public and political figure, journalist and dissident Petrushka Shustrova.

Mustafa Jemilev and Petrushka Shustrova had friendly talk during a cup of coffee before the beginning of the discussion and exchanged opinions on the current situation in Crimea and recalled common friends from the dissident movement. Mrs. Shustrova presented Mustafa Jemilev a copy of her film about the tragic destiny of the Crimean Tatar people.

During the roundtable the Chairman of Mejlis of the Crimean Tatar people Mustafa Jemilev gave the detailed analysis of today’s events in Ukraine and Crimea, related first of all to the return and resettlement of the indigenous people – Crimean Tatars on its historical native land. “Ukraine still has quite many unsolved problems, rooting in the Soviet past,”- Mustafa Jemilev noted. To his opinion, ignoring these problems not only prevents to the democratic development of Ukraine, but threatens the civil peace and consent in the society. The leader of Mejlis drew the audience’s attention to the fact that Crimean Tatars from the first days of Ukraine’s independence have seeking adoption of the law on the restoration of their rights, adding that the thing also comes about the necessity to restore the rights of the representatives of a range of national minorities that were also subjected to deportation during the USSR from the territory of the modern Ukraine. “Unfortunately, Ukrainian politicians consciously avoid creating the legal basis, that would regulate the Crimean Tatar issue,”- Mr. Jemilev concluded.

The Chairman of Mejlis also provided the detailed information on the serious violation of the right of Crimean Tatars to land, about the high level of discrimination of Crimean Tatars in employment and the electoral system, existing in Ukraine that unlike many European countries doesn’t ensure representation of the national groups in the representative bodies of the state power.

Continuing his speech Mustafa Jemilev noted that the glaring discrimination could be explained not only by the imperfection of the electoral system, but also by a high level of chauvinism and xenophobia, existing in the territory of the peninsular. “In other words, it is quite evident that many officials have stereotypes against Crimean Tatars that were implanted to people’s minds back in the Soviet times,”- he said. The leader of Mejlis added that in this connection he is especially concerned with the lack of opportunities to have a constant dialogue with the supreme bodies of Ukrainian authorities aimed at regulation of a wide range of problems.

Telling about the decision of Qurultay of the Crimean Tatar people concerning the carrying out of the International Forum on the restoration of the rights of the Crimean Tatar people to their homeland, its security and guarantees of development in Ukraine, the Chairman of Mejlis noted with satisfaction that this initiative was taken with understanding and willingness to help by many international partners. “Though, we still haven’t received a clear response from the Ukrainian authorities to our initiative, whose participation would be very important and necessary,” – he concluded.

Then the discussion proceeded in the format of “question – answer”. According to the majority of the participants of the dialogue, the process of the return of the Crimean Tatar people to its native land is one of the few positive examples of the elimination of the consequences of the totalitarian regime in the post-Soviet territory.

At the same time, according to the participants of the discussion, “the main credit in return of Crimean Tatars to their homeland and continuing combat for the restoration of their rights should be given to the Crimean Tatar people and Crimean Tatar national movement themselves and their adherence to non-violence methods of combating”.

At the same day in Prague the Chairman of Mejlis of the Crimean Tatar people Mustafa Jemilev had a business supper with the Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of Ukraine to the Czech Republic Ivan Gritsak during which the parties exchanged opinions on a wide range of issues, like those that were discussed at the 15th International Conference Forum 2000, as well as the International Forum on the restoration of the rights of the Crimean Tatar people to their homeland, its security and guarantees of development in Ukraine that became the main topic of discussion during Mustafa Jemilev’s numerous meetings in Prague with the public and political figures from various countries.