A meeting of the leaders of the Mejlis of the Crimean Tatar people with the President of the Constitutional Court of the Republic of Lithuania, Mr Dainius Žalimas.

18 January 2018

On January 17, 2018 in the office of the Mejlis of the Crimean Tatar people in Kyiv a meeting of the leaders of the Mejlis with the President of the Constitutional Court of the Republic of Lithuania Mr. Dainius Žalimas was held. Mr. Žalimas is known in Lithuania and inEuropean structures as a consistent supporter of tougher sanctions against officials of the Russian Federation, who commit crimes in the region.In the meeting from the Crimean Tatar side along with the Chairman of the Mejlis, Refat Chubarov, the following leaders of the Crimean Tatar people took part: the Representative of the President of Ukraine for the Affairs of the Crimean Tatar people– Mustafa Dzhemilev, the deputy chairmen of the Mejlis – Ilmi Umerov and Akhtem Chiygoz, as well as the member of the Mejlis – Eskender Bariev.

Two sides exchanged their views on the current situation happened in Crimea and the whole region. At the same time, the sides emphesised the need to take a whole set of measures to punish those who responsible for crimes committed in Crimea. In this context, Mr. Žalimas proposedthe Crimean Tatar side to increase the pressure on national and international bodies on purpose to bring the judges of the Constitutional Court of the Russian Federation to justice, who made a deliberately criminal decision on the constitutionality of the “entrance” of Crimea into the Russian state.

“All 19 judges took the deliberately criminal decision. I want the world community to pay attention to these offenders, to their role, as they could prevent an aggression against Ukraine. If they had made a decision in accordance with an international law and the principle of therule of law, then there would be no such connivance at all” – noted Mr. Žalimas. The President of the Constitutional Court of the Republic of Lithuania drew the attention of the Crimean Tatar partners that the Chairman of the Constitutional Court of the Russian Federation had repeatedly incorrectly spoke about the Crimean Tatars as terrorists who threatens.  

The Chairman of the Mejlis of the Crimean Tatar people, from his side, confirmed the clear need for wider involvement of all available mechanisms in the situation on Crimea. It was decided to appeal on behalf of the Mejlis of the Crimean Tatar people to the Prosecutor General of Ukraine demanding to bring the judges of the Constitutional Court of the Russian Federation on illegal annexation of Crimea as suspects, as well as to appeal to the relevant international bodies that could give a legal and moral assessment of the actions of Russian colleagues.

The sides also negotiated about prepared amendments to the Constitution of Ukraine regarding the status of the Autonomous Republic of Crimea. It was agreed that the Lithuanian colleagues are ready to provide their conclusion on the draft amendments to be submittedwithin the walls of the Ukrainian parliament. Mr. Žalimas emphasised that the creation of the Crimean Tatar Autonomy in Crimea is definitelyadvisable, and such a step will be admitted positively.

At the end of the meeting, Mr. Žalimas presented a book on the Constitutional Court of the Republic of Lithuania. The sides agreed on further close cooperation in the specified areas.