The Ukrainian authorities have no right to forget about the patriotically-minded people in the Crimea who are under the Russian occupation. This was stated by the head of the Crimean republican organization of UKROP Erfan Kudusov on the air of Hromadske radio.
“People are waiting for positive signals from Ukraine, they do not throw Ukrainian passports away. The task of the state is to preserve these connections,” said the UKROP member.
At the same time, he noted that the authorities should provide the Crimeans with the opportunity to study, get treatment and freely move in the territory of Ukraine. In addition, the state should give economic and political signals of support to the pro-Ukrainian residents of the peninsula.
This is, for example, the adoption of amendments to the Constitution on the definition of the national-territorial autonomy of the Crimean Tatars. According to Erfan Kudusov, Crimean Tatars should finally get equal rights with other ethnic and social groups living in the Crimea.
“We face the threat to lose the identity – language, culture, and even lifestyle. The Crimean Tatars should have the right to self-determination within Ukraine,” stressed Erfan Kudusov.
According to the activist, Ukraine cannot return the Crimea by force methods because of incomparable military capabilities. However, political and diplomatic steps can make Russia leave the territory of the peninsula.
“It may take a year, five or seven years. But I know that my children will live in the Crimea. And we’ll go back there. After deportation, the Crimean Tatar people struggled with the whole system by themselves. Today on our side there are not only the citizens of Ukraine, but also the whole western world,” said Erfan Kudusov.
