The Crimean Tatar Resource Center is working on recognition of the deportation of the Crimean Tatar people as an act of genocide with 25 countries. This was underlined by the Head of the Board of CTRC, a representative of the Mejlis of the Crimean Tatar people, Eskender Bariiev. It was noted that by the end of the year parliaments of at least two other European countries might recognize the deportation of the Crimean Tatar people as genocide as well.
We remind that on the 9th of May 2019 the Saeima of Latvia recognized the deportation of the Crimean Tatar people in 1944 as an act of genocide. The document emphasizes that a number of historical evidence from a wide range of different sources point to a deliberate and planned genocide committed by the Soviet authorities against many peoples and ethnic groups residing in the Soviet Union and Soviet occupied territories, in particular Crimean Tatars.
On the 6th of June 2019 the Seimas of the Republic of Lithuania also adopted a resolution recognizing the deportation of the Crimean Tatar people in 1944 as an act of genocide. 77 MPs voted in favour of the following decision, one abstained, no one voted against it. The Seimas currently condemns the occupation of Crimea, discrimination against the Crimean Tatar people and urges the international community to demonstrate solidarity with the Crimean Tatar people.
Eskender Bariiev, Head of the Board of the Crimean Tatar Resource Center and a representative of the Mejlis of the Crimean Tatar people, said that this is the second visible result of an active and fruitful cooperation with the parliament of another state that was followed by such kind of a friendly gesture towards the Crimean Tatar people and Ukraine in general.
Earlier this year, he stated that by the end of 2019 parliaments of at least three European countries might recognize the deportation of the Crimean Tatar people as an act of genocide.