Yurii Stets: "The recognition of the deportation in 1944 as a genocide of the Crimean Tatars is a symbol of political maturity and responsibility of the Ukrainian State"

12 November, 2015, Ukraine has taken an important step that will enter the modern history as a symbol of political maturity and responsibility of the Ukrainian State. The Verkhovna Rada of Ukraine voted for the resolution on recognition of the deportation of Crimean Tatars in 1944 as a genocide. Henceforth officially the day of 18 May is the day of memory of victims who have died as a result of deliberate extermination of the indigenous population.

Despite the fact that after the deportation almost half of the Crimean Tatar people died, over 40 years Crimeans courageously fought for the right to return home. After the annexation of the Crimea by the Russian Federation, who is the legal successor of the Soviet Union, the Crimean Tatars again fighting for their right to a free life as the indigenous people of the Crimea and the opportunity to be part of the European family within Ukraine.

Once, the world shared the pain and recalled millions of Ukrainian victims of the Holodomor of 1932-33 in Ukraine. Genocide was recognized by more than 20 countries. Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe and the European Parliament called artificial famine, initiated by the Soviet authorities, a crime against humanity.

Today Ukraine, recognizing the deportation as genocide, showed solidarity with the people, who also suffered because of the repression of the totalitarian regime, with the Crimean Tatars. Ukrainian society is not only shares the pain of the Crimean Tatar people, but every day pays by its blood for liberation of the Crimea on the eastern front. That is why the future of the Crimea is together with European Ukraine, in which the rights of the Crimean Tatar people are recognized and secured by law.

Glory to Ukraine!

Millet! Vetan! Qirim!