On the state of integration of formerly deported persons into the Ukrainian society
/25.06.2013/ Ukraine pays constant attention to the process of return, accommodation and integration into the Ukrainian society of the Crimean Tatars and representatives of other nationalities who were deported by the Stalin regime.
Crimean Tatar issue is inherited by our country from the former Soviet Union, which political leaders in 1944 accused of collaboration the whole nation and decided to deport it to Central Asia.
The repatriation process of the formerly deported persons to Ukraine is carried out
within the framework of the CIS Agreement on Restoration of the Rights of the Deported
Persons, National Minorities and Peoples that was signed by the CIS countries in
Bishkek on 9 September 1992 (the so-
The following are the fundamental documents constituting the legal basis for the state policy on protection of rights of the formerly deported persons who have returned to Ukraine as permanent residents:
The Constitution of Ukraine, the Declaration of State Sovereignty of Ukraine, the Act of Declaration of Independence of Ukraine, the Declaration of Rights of Nationalities of Ukraine, as well as the Laws of Ukraine on Rehabilitation of Victims of Political Repressions in Ukraine, On National Minorities in Ukraine, On Citizenship of Ukraine, On Education, On Freedom of Conscience and Religious Organizations, On Public Associations, On Ratification of the Council of Europe`s Framework Convention for the Protection of National Minorities, On Ratification of the , On the Principles of State Language Policy in Ukraine.
The activities aimed at improving the national legislation in the field of inter-
By the end of 2012, over 270 000 formerly deported persons have returned as permanent residents to the Autonomous Republic of Crimea in Ukraine. Under current critical financial and economic conditions, Ukraine, at its own expense, conducts extensive work aimed at meeting social and economic needs of the Crimean Tatars and persons of other nationalities, who are returning to Crimea as permanent residents.
Since 1991, each State Budget of Ukraine has provided specific funding for accommodation of needs of repatriates, such as construction of houses, engineering services, social and cultural facilities. The total amount of budgetary allocations for those purposes has reached over USD 157 mln.
One of the fundamental legislative acts in the field of socio-
The effectiveness of measures that have been taken by the Government of Ukraine with the view to restoring the historical justice and ensuring repatriation and integration of formerly deported Crimean Tatars can be proven by the following:
1. Based on the data provided by independent experts, the scale of Crimean Tatars return to the Autonomous Republic of Crimea leaves similar data for other ethnic group minorities far behind. In particular, in 1941 the Stalin regime expelled 62 000 ethnic Germans from Crimea. In 1944, forcefully deported from Crimea were 15 000 ethnic Greeks, 14 000 ethnic Bulgarians, 9 900 ethnic Armenians, 200 000 ethnic Crimean Tatars. By the end of 2012, the following groups returned to Ukraine’s Autonomous Republic of Crimea as permanent residents: some 800 ethnic Germans, 2 500 ethnic Greeks, 850 ethnic Bulgarians, 580 ethnic Armenians, 266 000 ethnic Crimean Tatars.
2. According to the outcome of elections to bodies of local self-
3. Information of the Republican Committee on Land Resources of the Autonomous Republic of Crimea shows that by late 2012 the amount of land made available to the Crimean Tatars for housing construction was 17,1% of the total volume of land allocated for such purposes.
4. Comparative analysis of schools in the Autonomous Republic of Crimea indicates to the priority growth in the number of schools with the Crimean Tatar language of education as compared, for example, to schools with the Ukrainian language of education. For instance, first schools with the Crimean Tatar and Ukrainian languages of education were opened in Crimea in 1993 and 1997 respectively. As of 2013, there are 15 schools with the Crimean Tatar language of education and 7 schools with the Ukrainian language of education in Crimea.
5. In Crimea, the number of religious centers for the Orthodox Church has increased by 63% (from 208 in 2000 to 338 in 2012) over the last 12 years, whereas for Muslim organizations the increase equaled 122% (from 146 in 2000 to 324 in 2012).
Given the abovementioned facts, Ukraine regards any speculations about the allegedly discriminatory policy towards the Crimean Tatars as groundless and not true.
The Government of Ukraine and local authorities provide full support to the activities of the officially registered national NGOs, thus strengthening their capacity to meet in full the needs of the ethnic groups they represent.
Ukraine confirms its strong determination to adhere to its commitments under the existing international instruments in the areas of the protection and promotion of human rights.
Resettlement of deported Crimean Tatars, who return to Ukraine for permanent residence,
is considered by the leadership of Ukraine as one of the most important socio-
The deportees’ returning process is unprecedented in postwar world history in view of its scale and intensity;
Today, Ukraine is the only state that has assumed responsibility for the resettlement of hundreds of thousands of people;
At the same time, the mentioned activities of the leadership of our country periodically cause undue criticism from the radical leaders of the Crimean Tatar movement. They are trying to present difficulties arising from the adaptation process as Ukrainian governments’ discrimination;
Despite the unconstructive position of these persons on the public expense more than 300 Crimean Tatars’ villages were build, 14 schools with the Crimean Tatar language were renovated. Crimean Engineering and Pedagogical University had been opened in Simferopol. The majority of its teachers and students are of Crimean Tatars nationality. In other higher schools of Autonomy, the Crimean Tatars have an opportunity to study for free according to special program, initiated by the leadership of our country;
State support is given for publishing on the territory of Autonomy Crimean Tatar books, newspapers and magazines;
There is the Crimean Tatar national fraction in the Verkhovna Rada of Crimea. More than 900 representatives of Crimean Tatars are elected to local councils of Autonomy. Crimean Tatars are also represented in Ukrainian Parliament;
However, some leaders of the illegal Crimean Tatar national movement, such as kurultai / medzilis, periodically distribute dangerous calls aimed to incite separatist and ethnic hostility in the ARC;
In the same time, mentioned organizations make attempts to contact the OSCE, PACE and other influential international organizations with complaints against the leadership of our country.
These statements are not true, and such activity can cause social and political tensions in the Crimea, lead to a deterioration of relations between our country and EU, USA, Turkey, adversely affect the cooperation of Ukraine with leading international organizations.