Stets: the Crimea and Crimean Tatars issue will remain a priority in the work of the Ministry until peninsula is deoccupied

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On March 24, there was a meeting of Yurii Stets, the Minister of Information Policy of Ukraine, with Mustafa Dzhemilev, a people’s deputy of Ukraine and Commissioner of President of Ukraine for Crimean Tatars.

According to Stets, the Crimea and Crimean Tatars’ issue will remain a priority in the work of the Ministry until peninsula is deoccupied. “The readiness of Ukraine to assert the rights of Crimean Tatars is an indicator of the changes within the country and society. Ukraine must do everything possible to return the Crimea, because “Crimea is Ukraine”. Exactly through communication campaigns we constantly remind to every Ukrainian that there will be no Ukraine without the Crimea!” emphasized Stets.

The leader of Crimean Tatars Mustafa Dzhemilev indicated the importance of information work concerning the Crimea and Crimean Tatars. “Crimean Tatars in the Crimea remain loyal to Ukraine even under an immense pressure from the invader and virtual prohibition of being devoted to Ukraine. They continue to watch Ukrainian TV channels, read Ukrainian news and visit mainland Ukraine. The vital part of the link between Ukraine and the Crimea is the information aspect, in particular it is crucial for Crimean Tatars, who cherish a hope of returning”, informed Dzhemilev.

Emine Dzheppar, an Advisor to the Minister, said that at the instance of Crimean settlers, a slogan “Crimea is Ukraine” of the last year campaign has not changed.

“We placed over 600 boards with this slogan, where well-known Ukrainians talked about “their Crimea”. We also demonstrated approximately 10 video tapes with this slogan on more than 30 TV channels and tens of internet mass media resources throughout Ukraine. On these video tapes famous and ordinary Ukrainians addressed Crimeans to show their support. Besides, we have also prepared documentary film “The Crimea. Resistance”, which will be presented soon” said Emine Dzheppar.

It should be mentioned that the communication campaign “Crimea is Ukraine”, organized on the second anniversary of occupation, started on February 23, 2016. It consists of board and television campaigns, which have social nature, and the film “Crimea is Ukraine”, which is dedicated to the annexation of the peninsula. On February 26, 2016 MIP held international forum “Crimea is Ukraine. The annexed peninsula between the present and the future”. On the initiative of MIP, schools and institutions of higher learning throughout Ukraine held educational events dedicated to the developments of occupation of the Crimea and the resistance of Crimean people. Moreover, MIP came up with a proposal to proclaim February 26 a Day of the Crimean Resistance against Russian occupation.