“If someone wants to negotiate with Crimean Tatars one should talk with Mejlis,”- M. Jemilev

What are the relations between Crimean authorities and the leaders of Mejlis, who will finance the construction of the Central Mosque and what demands will contain the Resolution of the all-Crimean mourning meeting on May 18 – these and other questions were discussed in the interview to “Sobytiya” with the Chairman of Mejlis of the Crimean Tatar people, MP of Ukraine Mustafa Jemilev on the eve of the 67th anniversary of the deportation from Crimea.

– Sobitiya: There was a positive trend after the local elections in the relations between Crimean authorities and Mejlis’ leaders. The letter of Crimean Prime Minister Vasily Dzharty addressed to you demanding liquidation of land squatters strained a little bit the situation, but nevertheless then you managed to find agreement. Could we claim that there is no more conflict in youк relations?

– In fact, Vasily Dzharty turned out to be the most perspicacious of all those “scriptwriters” who earlier decided to reform the Council of representatives of the Crimean Tatar people by the President of Ukraine and who understood quicker than others that such “Council” without the representatives elected by the people itself would be incapable. That is why the leaders of Mejlis met with him even before the elections. Of course, there was already no doubt after the elections that if someone wants to solve Crimean Tatars’ problems or negotiate with us, one has to do it only with Mejlis.

– Sobitiya: Mejlis acts as a mediator between the participants of so called “protest camps” and the authorities. When and where the squatter lands will be vacated?

– Frankly speaking we had not got big desire to be a mediator between the authorities and participants of “protest camps”, because the majority of lands were occupied without the agreement with Crimean Tatar Mejlis or regional mejlises and many “protest camps” had their own “commanders” who didn’t obey our orders. That is why our first position was as follows: talk with these “commanders” or with the new “council of representatives” appointed by you and where we do not enter now. But Mr. Dzharty told clearly that he will talk to no one except Mejlis about the land issues. Then we told the participants of “protest camps”: “We will agree to hold talks on condition that you will obey implicitly the agreements reached with the authorities even if you won’t be fully satisfied with it”. The overwhelming majority agreed with this formula and now the special commission at the Council of Ministers headed by the Vice-Premier Georgy Psarev that also includes the representatives recommended by Mejlis. It examines in details the situation on every separate land massive for possibility to allocate land for individual construction to concrete persons. Though, there is a tendency to oust the participants of “protest camps” from the occupied territories to the outskirts, motivating this by the necessity to vacate this land for some “business projects”, in other words, it is more likely for allocation to some business structures. Evidently, neither Mejlis, not participants of “protest camps” won’t agree with this. Mr. Dzharty himself didn’t interfere with the work of the Commission. I think that interethnic consent and stability in Crimea is more important for him than some kind of investments.

– Sobitiya: What is Mejlis’ attitude to land auctions that launched in Crimea lately?

– Crimean land was selling and buying long ago, but it was made illegally for bribes to officials and deputies authorized to take decisions on allocation of land. In open and fair auctions money won’t go to the pockets of corrupted elements, but directly to state budget. In general, if we want to build a market economy it is evident that land has to be selling and buying. But, despite other regions of Ukraine Crimea has one peculiarity that dictates necessity to be careful with this issue. There is a problem of repatriates who the state, if it is referred to as legal, must return first everything that was illegally taken from them, and only after this we could talk about any auction. That is why we always said and keep on saying that the land selling has to be stopped untill the solution of land problems of repatriates who have returned and reservation of land for those who due to circumstances couldn’t return to one’s homeland yet.

– Sobitiya: Can you say now who will finance the construction of the Central mosque in Simferopol? How much will it cost?

– I guess, this construction is going to be quite expensive, because this is the Central Mosque and has to be big enough, monumental and beautiful. The most value represents those God’s houses that were built on the expenses of the whole community. That is why gathering of funds will be announced among the whole people. However, I doubt that we will be able to gather the required sum only this way, considering the present economic situation of our people, because it comes about at least 8-10 million dollars. That is why we’re going to find other sponsors, as well. I guess, that the Religious Board of Muslims of Turkey, that accumulate donations of religious people of this country, including the one’s of big Crimean Tatar diaspora, could made a significant contribution. We already have such agreements.

– Sobitiya: Why you decided to bail for the ex-Speaker of the Crimean Parliament Anatoly Gritsenko? Being on his post he let himself critical statements against Mejlis.

– I did it for the sake of an objective investigation. The crimes he is accused of aren’t so grave that he had to be kept in prison. Restraint a written cognizance not to leave would be quite enough. There are quite many examples when such measure was applied to people accused of the far graver crimes. When a person is in a jail he could be created such conditions and applied such measures that he would “confess” in any crimes. Our Mass Media abound in such cases. The fact that he let himself some statements and comments against Mejlis and me personally do not matter. We also used to make quite sharp comments on some of his actions.

– Sobitiya: Weren’t you surprised that none of the representatives of the Party of Regions supported their party-fellow?

– I was, actually. You see, it isn’t Stalin’s time today, when one could be subjected to repressions for friendly or relative relations or sympathy to a prisoner… Though, in fact, it was predictable, because he had such surroundings. When people have their main motivation to some actions absolutely other criteria and aspirations, instead of demands of conscience and honor, the norm of their behavior is quite predictable when the harder time will come. Here the thing is not in belonging to any party, there is such kind of people in every political or other unions, somewhere more, somewhere less.

– Sobitiya: After you refused to take part in the meeting with the President Viktor Yanukovich held in August last year did Mejlis make any attempts to meet with the Head of the state again?

– Right after that meeting on August 3 we sent a letter to the President in which we explained why we couldn’t take part in such format and asked about the meeting with such structure of the Council of representatives of the Crimean Tatar people that was approved by the order of the President on May 18, 1999, that is, with the members of Mejlis of the Crimean Tatar people. In response the Decree was issued on new composition of the Council. In three days there was the 3rd session of Qurultay of the Crimean Tatar people that gave quite clear argumentation why the members of Mejlis couldn’t participate in such composition of the Council of representatives. The main argument was as follows: the people’s representatives aren’t appointed, but elected and no sensible person could oppose such argument.

– Sobitiya: When do you think the meeting of the renewed Council of representatives of the Crimean Tatar people by the President of Ukraine will be held?

– I don’t know, and actually, we don’t care much about it, because we do not take part in it. Moreover, when the decision will be made to gather this “Council of representatives” there could be problem with quorum. Though, there are 10 members with the deduction of 8 members of Mejlis and one more member who already stated that he will be guided exclusively by the decisions of Qurultay, it doesn’t mean that they will all come, because the relations between them not very warm, to put it mildly. Though, they could be ordered and they will come obediently and sit where they will be pointed. But if there is a reason to gather such “Council” even from the authorities’ point of view and in their interests. You see, in this case the dialogue that started with Mejlis would be suspended for sure. In particular, Mejlis would happily make way for the “Council of representatives” in mediation between the authorities and the participants of “protest camps” in land issue that contain such a great deal of pitfalls, problems and plagues.

– Sobitiya: One year ago you actively demanded dismissal of the Minister of the Internal Affairs of Ukraine Anatoly Mogilev: the draft law was registered in the Parliament and at the PACE’s session, you accused him of inciting ethnic discord, after that the corresponding decision was adopted. Did you conclude an armistice since that time?

– It wasn’t just me who opposed his appointment. There was also statement of two parliamentary groups of twelve European states in the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe in which they expressed their puzzlement concerning the fact that the person with such xenophobia views heads such important Ministry in the country that seemingly longing to enter the European Union. However, it seems like the President and coalition majority in the Parliament considered that Mr. Mogilev has so many positive qualities that his Nazi views, his attempts to differentiate peoples living in Ukraine to good and bad, inciting ethnic discord were just childish antics. Mogilev himself didn’t considered it necessary to apologize before the Crimean Tatar people for his actions and statements, that is why I had no contacts with him.

– Sobitiya: All the recent years the Crimean Tatar Mejlis went along with the People’s Rukh of Ukraine, you supported the Block “Our Ukraine”. Now this power lost its positions. According to the last surveys it has no chances to win the coming elections. Maybe it is time to change the companion – start cooperating with the Party of regions?

– The elections are quite far and we didn’t hold talks with anyone concerning this topic. We’ll talk about this closer to the elections. This decision will be adopted by Qurultay and it is more likely that it won’t depend on whether this party strong or weak, holding power or not.

– Sobitiya: In February you met with the leader of the Party “Front Peremen” Arseniy Yatsenuk. Could that mean that you will support the force that he will represent on the future parliamentary elections?

– We met not only with Arseniy Yatsenuk, but many leaders of various political forces in Ukraine. These meetings were not obligatory related to the future parliamentary elections.

– Sobitiya: Last year the mourning meeting adopted the Resolution on preparation to the International Forum on protection of the rights of the Crimean Tatar people. The year has passed, but in fact, nothing was done. When this Forum could be held?

– On the contrary, we made a lot. We held meetings and consultations with the speakers of the parliaments of many countries, with the heads of some states, with the President of the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe, with the members of the European Parliament, with a range of outstanding political figures in Europe, USA and Canada, with the ambassadors of many European countries accredited in Ukraine, with a range of Ukrainian political figures, the letter was also sent to the OSCE High Commissioner on National Minorities. Today we prepare the conception of the Forum. This is not a simple thing that is why it requires the corresponding preparation. Moreover, it conduction would require the sufficient budget which we haven’t got yet. All this taking into consideration we can’t fix the date yet.

– Sobitiya: What basic demands the new Resolution of the mourning meeting of May 18 will contain?

– Crimean Tatar Mejlis on its last meeting gave order to the editorial group to prepare the draft resolution and submit it to the Presidium of Mejlis for consideration. I guess, that it would draw the authorities’ attention to a range of sensitive problems of the people, to the necessity of helding the International Forum on Crimean and Crimean Tatars’ problems.

– Sobitiya: In May last year the President Yanukovich signed the Decree aimed at solving the acute problems of resettlement of Crimean Tatars. Which clauses of this Decree were fulfilled?

– We can say that only two of eight– the measures were taken to hold the mourning events, timed to the 66th anniversary of the deportation and land was allotted for construction of the Central Mosque in Simferopol.

– Sobitiya: How do you think will the President issue another traditional decree on the eve of May 18 on solution of Crimean Tatars’ problems? What clauses to your opinion it could contain?

– I don’t know. About one month ago I’ve got a letter from the Head of the President’s Administration Sergey Levochkin saying that they prepare my meeting with the President. How much time will it take to prepare it and what would be its outcomes, if it will take place, I don’t know either.

Interviewed by Zair Akadyrov