Deputy Head of Mejlis Remzi Il’yasov Meets European Experts on Minority Issues

27 May 2013

On May 24, 2013, the experts of ECMI (Flensburg, Germany) visited the Mejlis of Crimean Tatar People.

Mr Remzi Il’yasov, Deputy Head of the Mejlis of Crimean Tatar People, MP of Crimea, Mr Rustem Ablyatif, Head of the Council of Crimean public organization “Institute of Civil Society”, Mr Alexander Osipov, ECMI’s senior scientific worker and Mrs Hanna Vasilevich, ECMI’s scientific worker took part in the meeting.

On the experts’ request Mr Ilyasov told in details about the system of the Crimean Tatar national self-governance, the principles of work of the Mejlis of Crimean Tatar People and Qurultay and modern history of the Crimean Tatar national movement.

The participants of the meeting also discussed in details the modern public and political situation in Crimea and Ukraine, interrelations between the Crimean Tatar representative body and Crimean and Ukrainian authorities, as well as the situation with Crimean Tatar people in lights of the recent events in the peninsular.

The European experts were interested in the principles of the ethnic policy of Ukrainian government and legal basis relating to the ethnic minorities in Ukraine.

Mr Remzi Il’yasov noted that unfortunately since Ukraine gained its independence it hasn’t developed the integral, consistent policy towards Crimean Tatar people, as well as in the national level. “In particular, there is still no law determining the status of Crimean Tatar people or formerly deported persons,”- Mr Ilyasov noted.

The ECMI’s expert underscored that the activity of the Crimean Tatar national self-governance is unique considering its rich and valuable experience. According to the experts, the Crimean Tatar experience will be included into the book that will be published as a result of the research of the European Centre for Minority Issues and suggested as an example, in particular, for Balkans.