The Crimean News N64
(Mass Media Review for June 26
- July 1, 2000)
The articles are shortened
The Siege of
the Crimean Parliament Lifted
Traditional Fields of Agriculture in Crimea to Be Restored
After
the agreement reached between the Government of Crimea and Crimean Tatar
leaders, the camp tent in front of the Crimean Parliament was taken down. This was announced at the press conference
of S.Velijansky, Vice Prime-minister of Crimea, and Mustafa Jemilev, Chairman
of the Mejlis.
The
Council of Ministers of Crimea has adopted an Order, aimed to facilitate the
repatriation process and resolve the problems of their resettlement.
Mustafa
Jemilev emphasized that, though Crimean Tatar leaders admit effectiveness of
the steps being undertaken by the Council of Ministers of Crimea, including
those listed in this Order, the main conflict still exists. The two basic
demands of Crimean Tatars remain unresolved – representation in power bodies
and land allocation on equal terms with the rest of Crimean rural population.
Stability on the peninsula will be dependent on mutually acceptable resolution
of these issues, as stated Mustafa Jemilev.
Elena Gornaya, , The
Krymskaya Gazeta (The
Crimean Newspaper), ¹ 115 (15971), June
27, 2000, p. 1.
The
results of intensive negotiations between Crimean authorities and protesting
Crimean Tatars, who demand guarantied representation in the parliament of
Crimea and guarantied participation in land distribution, were discussed at the
joint press conference held by Sergey Velijansky and Mustafa Jemilev.
According
to M.Jemilev, the picket in the form of tent camp was placed in front of the
building of the Verhovna Rada of Crimea to attract public attention to the
above-mentioned problems.
As
S.Velijansky pointed out, the Government of Crimea is undertaking effective
measures to resolve problems of the deportees, proved by the recent Order of
the Council of Ministers, which clearly outlines the ways to overcome these
problems. Besides, a special working
group headed by Anatoly Korneychuk, Representative of the President of Ukraine
in Crimea, will be created with deputies of the Verhovna Rada of Crimea, the
Council of Ministers staff and Crimean Tatar representatives participating.
This working group will work on the problem of representation of Crimean Tatars
in power bodies of Crimea and land issue.
Considering
these new developments, “we responded by taking down the tent camp in front of
Crimean Parliament building,” M. Jemilev said.
O.Volodin, The Krymskaya Pravda (The
Crimean Truth), ¹ 115 (22528), June 27, 2000, p. 1.
June the 20th. In
the Ukrainian Parliament, M. Jemilev, Chairman of the Mejlis, met with the
Council of Europe delegation, who arrived in Kyiv to inspect how Ukraine
implements the recommendations of the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of
Europe, particularly, the April 5 recommendations regarding the Crimean Tatar problems.
M. Jemilev discussed the legal problems of the Crimean
Tatar people, paying special attention to the need for a provision that will
allow representation of Crimean Tatars in the Parliament of Crimea and
executive bodies of Crimea, the resolution of problems relating to land
distribution, and adoption of the legislation
“On the Status of the Crimean Tatar People.” He also answered the
questions of the delegates. .
The Council of Europe delegates asked the Chairman of the
Mejlis to prepare an official report for the Parliamentary Assembly on the
current situation with suggestions for resolving the legal problems.
June the 22nd. M. Jemilev, Chairman of the
Mejlis, met with B.Tarasyuk, Foreign Affairs Minister, to discuss the problems
of Crimean Tatars living in Uzbekistan. M. Jemilev informed the Minister that
according to the new rules of Uzbekistan, those Crimean Tatars who cancelled
their Uzbekistan citizenship are being treated as foreign citizens, and they
are asked to pay in US currency when they leave Uzbekistan or send their
belongings. Considering that Uzbekistan banks do not exchange national currency
for the dollars at official rate, while
exchange at black-market rates is three-four times higher than official rate
and prohibited by law, Crimean Tatars find themselves in a hopeless situation.
B.Tarasyuk suggested that M. Jemilev appeal to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs
of Ukraine on behalf of the Ukrainian President’s Council of Representatives of
Crimean Tatar people and promised to take proper steps to resolve the problem.
* * *
A
meeting of the organizational committee for arranging an International
Conference on genocide of Ukrainian people committed by the Communist regime
was held at the Cabinet of Ministers of Ukraine. M. Jemilev was appointed a
member of the committee and asked to prepare a report on the crimes of
Communists against Crimean Tatar people, one of the indigenous nations of Ukraine.
Press-Service of the Mejlis, The Golos Kryma (The Voice of Crimea)
newspaper, ¹ 27 (346), June 30, 2000, p. 2.
* * *
On
June 23, M. Jemilev, Chairman of the Mejlis, hosted a meeting that was attended
by Max van der Stoel, the OSCE High Commissioner on National Minorities, Stefan
Vasiliev, Chief Advisor, and experts Svetlozar Zhakov and William Bowring.
The
participants were interested in the social-political situation on Crimea and
problems of Crimean Tatars relating to land distribution and representation of
the Crimean Tatar people in the Crimean Parliament.
Describing the current situation, the Mejlis Chairman
M.Jemilev stated: “The authorities carry out land reform, following legislation
that fails to account adequately for Crimea’s conditions. Nowadays more than
70% of Crimean Tatars reside in rural areas, and the land is the only source of
their income. However according to the present legislation, only 7% of Crimean
Tatars can get the land.”
At the end of the meeting, Max van der Stoel promised
that everything discussed at the meeting will be presented to the government of
Ukraine as recommendations.
Stefan Vasiliev, Chief Advisor, spoke about a project
which will be implemented by OSCE and UN to attract donors and implement
measures, relating to the return and resettlement of Crimean Tatars.
The Yani Dunya (The New World) newspaper, ¹ 26 (527), June 1, 2000,
p. 1.
Traditional
Fields of Agriculture in Crimea to Be Restored
Three traditional fields of agriculture - astrakhan and
cotton-growing (prior to WWII) and silkworm
production (until recently) - were developed in Crimea.
On June 26, a conference was organized to discuss the
restoration and development of these fields.
Those who spoke at the
meeting covered the history of
development, the present conditions and features of these fields, and provided
strong arguments in support of further development. The cotton-growing sector
existed in Crimea until the war. The silkworm production is now on the decline.
After the war it was said that it is no use to develop astrakhan in Crimea.
Considerable potential of highly qualified specialists
among repatriates would allow the restoration of these traditionally profitable
fields, and therefore provide jobs for them.
The conference participants decided to establish a
scientific-research laboratory at the Crimean Industrial-Pedagogical Institute
and to develop scientifically-founded methods, introduction of which will allow
the revival of these fields in Crimea.
Gulnara
Useyinova, The Golos Kryma (The Voice
of Crimea) newspaper, ¹ 27 (346), June 30, 2000, p. 1.
The
issues relating to the reform of Collective Agricultural Enterprises (KSP), land distribution, and signing
agreements on rent remain highly controversial
in Crimea. By the order of the
President of Ukraine, specialists have been working in Crimea, examining
backlog of problems. The results will be summarized and presented to the
President.
During his stay in Crimea, the Minister of Agriculture of
Ukraine discussed the preliminary results with the heads of several Crimean
districts, from which many complaints were received. Specialists from the
Ministry, heads of committees, Chairman of the Mejlis Mustafa Jemilev, and
representatives of the Crimean Tatar people were also invited.
At the end of the conference it was declared that a
working group is to be created with Crimean Tatar representatives as its
members. This group will examine all problems of the deported nation.
Natalia
Panasenko, The Krymskaya Gazeta (The
Crimean Newspaper), ¹ 116 (15972), June
30, 2000, p.2
* * *