Crimean news 89.
(Mass
Media review for 18-23 December 2000).
Articles are abridged.
Crimean parliament
acts according two different scenarios.
…NATO is to blame
for separation of Crimean power branches.
Russian is used as an official language.
Politics.
Crimean parliament acts
according two different scenarios.
It was easy to understand that
something very extraordinary was brewing in the Crimean parliament, in the wake
of a red-flag rally held near the Supreme Council of Crimea on December 20
morning. Nevertheless, plenary sitting of Crimean parliament was started.
However, when forming the
agenda, the Supreme Council of Crimea appeared to be divided into two parts and
all events were happening according to their so-called different plans.
Oleg Shakhnyuk, “Krymskaya Pravda” (“The
Crimean Truth”), #234 (22647), December 21, 2000, p.1.
Our commentaries: Opposition of two Crimean power branches –
legislative and executive – has been going on for more than a year. Communistic
majority of Crimean parliament’s presidium headed by speaker Leonid Grach acts
against the supporters of Crimean head of government, Sergey Kunitsyn.
…NATO is to blame for
separation of Crimean power branches.
There are two stands, which
are seemingly willing to fight till the end: “kunistsyntsy” (Kunitsyn’s
supporters) insist on including into the agenda the issue of President’s
Decree, which has temporarily stopped four legal acts of Crimean parliament, in
order to abolish them without waiting for decision of Constitutional Court.
Besides the Constitutional Court had to hold sitting to consider these issues
last night Leonid Grach* openly shared his opinion on this issue: “I have no
intention to vote (which means that he will not raise this issue for voting –
author’s explanations) I have a right for that. He believes that such actions
will “confuse the basis of constitutional style”.
According to the opposition,
the temporarily stopped acts have considerably limited powers of Supreme Court
in favor of the speaker and presidium.
After a long arguing communist Zakharov claimed the followings: “…If you are asking when exactly the parliament and Council of Ministers separated from each other, I will clearly answer you: it happened in Brussels**!..”
Our information: *Leonid Ivanovich Grach is the speaker of
Crimean parliament and the head of Crimean communists.
**We mean the official visit of Crimean delegation to
NATO headquarters.
On the day of parliament’s
sitting communists initiated a rally with following slogans: “Do not touch
Grach!”, “There is no past with Kunitsyn, so there won’t be any future with
him!”. The rally participants were surprised to see another rally, which had
been initiated by “Molodaya Batkivsshina*” (“Young Homeland”). Besides
the latter had opposite slogans: “We are for prosperity in unity”, “Peace among
powers – peace in the republic”, “Guys, let’s lead a friendly life!”
Alexey Nejivoy, “Krymskoye Vremya” (“The
Crimean Times”), #239 (1106), December 21, 2000, p3.
Our information. It is one of the Crimean youth organizations.
Evening sitting of Crimean
parliament differed from the one held in the morning. “Having worked” from the
morning till noon, deputies couldn’t even assert agenda. Opposition majority
acting against speaker tried hard to cancel some of Crimean parliament’s decrees.
Vasiliy Kiselyov again
demanded that the clause on changing time-limit should be introduced into
agenda (this document is considered in the Constitutional Court as well, and
Crimean deputies believe that the time-limit provides too much power for the
speaker.) But Leonid Grach, by using his usual methodic, didn’t raise this
proposition for voting.
Kiselyov blamed the speaker
for phoning president to complain on his colleagues, who try seemingly to make
him step down. Grach’s respond was as follows: “I have…informed the president
about the issues that caused difficulty for the session”. We do not rule out
the possibility that Center demanded that they should make a short break. One
way or another, but we can face the result: they have calmed down and “antigrachyovs”
(People acting against Grach) did nothing but minor attacks.
Alexey Nejivoy, “Krymskoye Vremya” (“The
Crimean Times”), #239 (1106), December 21, 2000, p3.
Our information: *One of Crimean deputies from opposition majority.
Russian is used as an official language.
The next in turn session of
Sevastopol city Council passed a decision to declare the Russian language as â
language of work and business of city council’s apparatus. The leaders of
enterprises with communal ownership, tuition and education institutions have
been recommended to use the Russian language as an official one.
“Krymskaya gazeta” (”The Crimean newspaper”), #237
(16093), December 20, 2000, p.1.
Our commentaries: There has been a serious discussion about
the issue of giving an official status to the Russian language. In Ukraine the
Ukrainian language is the state language. However, the Russians living in
Ukraine, especially in Crimea strongly fight for their stands on giving an
official state status to the Russian language.
On December 22, office of
Mejlis of Crimean Tatar people received notices to the House of public
prosecutor for N.Bekirov, S.Kadirov, and K.Abdullayev. They are to be witnesses
on the sitting of criminal case. Executive of the Head Administration of
Ministry of Internal Affairs, Rakhmatulin explained that the case had been
initiated due to “occupation of Dzhankoy district state administration made by
the Crimean Tatars on November 27”*.
On November 27, more than 300
Crimean Tatars gathered to take part in the political process of their
compatriots: Ruslan Kurtseitov, Enver Abduveliyev, Eskender Bekirov, Midat
Kurtnezirov**. Judge Kutanova, having not come to the court, on the pretext of
being ill, frustrated the second court hearings on this case. And the head of
district state administration, A.Bragin again refused to provide any
explanations to people. In result, these people decided to enter the building
of district state administration and speak to Bragin at his working place. These
people caused neither damaging of state property nor frustration of state
institution’s work. The fact is that these events have been initiated by powers
in order to use them as a pretext for a new period of repression against
leaders of Crimean Tatar movements afterwards.
Press-Service of Mejlis of Crimean Tatar
people.
Our information: See “Crimean news 86” on this issue.
**See “Crimean news 83, 86, 88” on this issue.
* * *
From December 2 through 12,
chairman of Mejlis of Crimean Tatar people, Mustafa Dzhemilev, members of
Mejlis Ilmi Umerov and Shevket Asanov within the frameworks of UN PDIC* project
and Canadian agency of international development “Management under conditions
of many-national society: Canadian, Crimean experience” took part in the
introductory trip around Canada. The program included introduction with
Canadian history and culture, policy of many cultures and functioning of
several official languages. They also considered issues related to native
peoples. The delegation visited Ministry for Indians and northern territories,
Carleton University and Museum of civilizations.
Press-Service of Mejlis of Crimean Tatar
people.
Our information: *The UN Program of Development and Integration of
Crimea.