Dear compatriots!
Today we celebrate a remarkable event – 100th anniversary of the First Kurultay, national assembly of the Crimean Tatar People.
«Now on this day, our political life, which broke off a century and a half ago, finds a truly new birth», – with these words in 1917 Mufti Noman Çelebicihan opened first Kurultay of the Crimean Tatar People.
Following its results, the Crimean People`s Republic was proclaimed, government was formed, the Constitution was adopted; it canceled all the the class privileges and proclaimed the fundamental democratic rights and freedoms which were lied, first of all, in equity of all citizens of Crimea, women were granted the same rights as men.
The participation of the Central Council of Ukraine in the opening ceremony of the meeting was a remarkable event.
Inspite of a dream to improve the proclaimed Republic was stomped by the Bolsheviks who started a bloody terror, the first Kurultay became a significant milestone in the history of Ukraine and Crimea.
The current annexation of Crimea by Russia with its imperial ambitions, again brought enmity and fear, oppressions and repressions against the Crimean Tatar people, Ukrainians, representatives of other nationalities, against all persons devoted to Ukraine.
Ukraine intensifies its efforts to restore sovereignty, territorial integrity and to defend its citizens on the territories invaded by Russia. We are acting insistently, using political methods, especially at the international level, applying to the United Nations Organizations, the International Criminal Court, other international and European institutions for the purpose of just’ punishment of the aggressor.
The work on establishment of the national autonomy of the Crimean Tatar People in Crimea as part of sovereign and independent state of Ukraine has been started.
In the near future I’m expecting the modified and agreed changes and additions to the section X of the Constitution of Ukraine from the working group of the Constitutional Commission, which should legislate a status of such autonomy and provide equal rights and freedoms for the Crimean Tatars and representatives of other ethnic groups who live on the peninsula. In the future I hope for a wise and considered decision of the People`s Deputies of Ukraine related to this extremely important issue.
I am sure that experience of a heroic struggle of the Crimean Tatar People for their rights and native land, their high organization and unity with the Ukrainian nation in developing the state of Ukraine will be convincing factors for restoration of sovereignty in Crimea, successful development of Ukraine in the family of developed and democratic European states.
Address of the President on the occasion of the 100th anniversary of the First Kurultay of the Crimean Tatar People was proclaimed during the solemn meeting of Verkhovna Rada of Ukraine with participation of the Permanent Representative of President of Ukraine in the Autonomous Republic of Crimea Borys Babin and First Deputy Izet Hdanov.