Refat Chubarov: Parliamentary Majority in VR ARC Must Take into Consideration Position of Those MPs Whose Opinion Differs from Opinion of Majority

25 December 2013

On December 25, 2013, the Mps of the Crimean Parliament met at their last in 2013 plenary meeting of the 7^th session of the Verkhovna Rada of ARC.

In the beginning of the meeting the head of the parliamentary faction “Qurultay-Rukh” in VR ARC Mr Refat Chubarov expressed his indignation at few scandalous broadsheets hanged in the session hall that to his opinion violated the laws of Ukraine.

In particular, there were such broadsheets in the session hall as: “Yanukovych – Crimea – Russia!”, Crimea for Customs Union!”, as well as “No chance for Bandera followers in Crimea!” and “AO “Svoboda to Responsibility!”.

Mr Chubarov assked the Head of the Crimean Parliament Mr Vladimir Konstantinovich who gave permission to hang these broadsheets here.

“Here I see at least two broadsheets that contradict the state interests of Ukraine and the official course of Ukraine proclaimed by the President Yanukovych,”- Mr Chubarov stated and noted that to his opinion the broadsheet “Yanukovych – Crimea – Russia” should be at least “Yanukovych – Ukraine”.

MP of VR ARC Mr Chubarov recommended the speaker of the Crimean Parliament to agree “some of his wishes with the state course and the course of the President of Ukraine”. “I’d like to ask you to explain who gave the order to hang the broadsheets, and the Prosecutors’ Office and SBU to fulfill their duties,”- Mr Chubarov said.

The Crimean Speaker stated that that was the MPs’ hall. The Head of the deputy’s faction responded: “I’m a deputy as well. Just try to take off what I’ll hang for the next time,”- Mr Chubarov replied with indignation and advised Mr Konstantinov to do his particular duties.

Speaking at the session of the Crimean Parliament, Mr Refat Chubarov congratulated the Catholic Christians – citizens of Ukraine on Christmas and all Ukrainian citizens with the coming New Year holidays on behalf of the faction “Qurultay-Rukh”.

“At the same time, due to the public-political situation the mood is rather disturbing than festive,”- Mr Chubarov noted. The Head of the faction “Qurultay-Rukh” in VR ARC is convinced that the constant simulation of alleged public consent in Crimea without the real dialogue, including the one between the political majority and the political minority will result in a bankruptcy.

“I’d like to call you, colleagues, to understand that there are a lot of issues in a multinational and multi-religious Crimean society that couldn’t be solved with just rising hands even if these are the hands of the majority. That is why the laws in every normal democratic state establish a lot of balances, instruments to defend the rights of every individual and every community equally irrespective of its weight in the society. It is very important,”- Mr Chubarov, MP of Crimean Parliament said.

According to Mr Chubarov, in the past 2013 the Verkhovna Rada of Crimea made one of the biggest mistakes in its activity. “When one person whose office is outside of the Verkhovna Rada gave you an order and you dear colleagues voted for changing of the composition of one of the permanent commissions. It was made despite the agreement reached in the very beginning of our mandate that even the smallest faction will be represented in the Presidium. It really was so. Then you changed our member in the faction to the one who turned out to be closer to you without our consent and even without any negotiations with the faction “Qurultay-Rukh,”- Mr Chubarov explained.

Addressing the Head of the VR ARC and the deputy corps, Mr Refat Chubarov stated that the issues of the head of the permanent commission of VR ARC on the interethnic relations should be reviewed and recommended the parliamentarian majority in VR ARC to consider also the position of the deputies that differs from the majority’s one. “After all, these deputies were also elected by the Ukrainian citizens – Crimean residents,”- Mr Chubarov underscored.

Photo: Press Service of VR ARC