Today, Permanent Representative Tamila Tasheva participated in a working meeting between the Riigikogu of Estonia and the Verkhovna Rada of Ukraine. Members of the Estonian Parliament Mr. Mati Raidma, Head of the Estonian delegation to the Parliamentary Assembly of the OSCE, Mr. Kalev Stoicescu, Head of the National Defence Committee, and other MPs from the Estonia-Ukraine cooperation group attended the meeting. The Ukrainian side was represented by Mr. Oleksandr Korniienko, Deputy Chairman of the Verkhovna Rada, members of the Mejlis of the Crimean Tatar people, including Chairman of the Mejlis Refat Chubarov and Deputy Chairman of the Mejlis Nariman Dzhelyal, and other politicians.

The Permanent Representative addressed the participants with an opening statement and reminded them that the Russian occupation of Crimea has always led to the colonization of the peninsula and crimes against indigenous peoples, culminating in the deportation of 1944. 

“In 2014, a new illegal occupation of Crimea by the Russians began. Once again, Ukrainians and Indigenous peoples of Ukraine were deprived of their rights and freedoms. Once again, Crimean Tatars lost their home. Since 2014, Indigenous peoples in Crimea have faced serious human rights violations, including detentions, arrests, and abductions,” Tamila Tasheva emphasized.

The Permanent Representative noted that only together can the free world achieve victory in the fight against injustice and unwarranted aggression. She also thanked Estonia for its steadfast support of Ukraine.

“We must not forget the crimes of the past; the sufferings inflicted upon our people by Russia have no expiration date. Recognizing the deportation of 1944 as genocide is an important step not only to restore historical justice but also to secure the future of the Crimean Tatar people and all Indigenous peoples of Ukraine. This act will ensure that such tragedies do not happen again,” the Permanent Representative stated.

Deputy Chairman of the Verkhovna Rada Oleksandr Korniienko emphasized that for over 10 years, Ukrainians and Crimean Tatars have been fighting together for Ukraine’s independence. He stated that recognizing the deportation is an important step, as Russia is replicating the colonial policies of the Soviet era in the occupied territories.

“We are very grateful to the Riigikogu of Estonia for its initiative and the first step in this matter. We hope to advance the recognition issue in other countries, as it is extremely important to us. We expect to achieve further results by and during the Parliamentary Summit of the Crimea Platform in October,” Oleksandr Korniienko noted.

The participants of the meeting emphasized the need to disseminate information about the crime of deportation and discussed potential steps to recognize it as genocide by the Estonian Parliament. During the meeting, they also discussed cooperation within the framework of the upcoming Parliamentary Summit of the Crimea Platform in Riga in October 2024.

Members of the Estonian parliament declared their unwavering support for Ukraine and expressed their solidarity in the struggle against Russian aggression. The Ukrainian side expressed gratitude to the Estonian side for the extraordinary support provided by its people.