During his working visit to Crimea (Ukraine) on 14-15 May 2010, PACE President Mevlüt Çavusoglu, welcomed the signing on 13 May 2010 by the President of Ukraine of the Decree No 615/2010 concerning additional measures to integrate the Tatars of Crimea.
I very much hope that this decree, aiming at improving the social-economic situation of the Crimean Tatars and enhancing their participation in the social, cultural and political life, will mark the beginning of a new and positive chapter in the situation of the Crimean Tatars in Ukraine, declared PACE President.
On 15 May 2010, President Çavusoglu held a meeting with the representatives of the Crimean Tatars and regional authorities of Crimea, with the participation of Mr Sergei Levochkin. Head of the Administration of the President of Ukraine, to discuss the potential of this decree and the process of its implementation. On this occasion, he called on all parties to intensify their dialogue and co-operation in good faith and mutual respect to solve the existing problems, in particular as regards education, language and land issues.
The visit of PACE President took place on the eve of the commemoration, on 18 May, of the 66th anniversary of the deportation of the Crimean Tatar population by the Stalinist regime.
In April 2000, the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe adopted Recommendation 1455 (2000) on repatriation and integration of the Tatars of Crimea. The commitment of Ukraine to develop its policy towards ethnic minorities on the basis of the Council of Europe standards and principles is being followed by the Parliamentary Assembly in the framework of its monitoring procedure with respect to Ukraine.
