Yevhen Khlobystov, an expert of the Crimean Tatar Resource Center, spoke on the air of the Questions of National Security program about how to revive the territories destroyed by Russia after the liberation and whether Ukraine is ready for this.
“In 9 months (in the newly occupied territories), we did not see significant structural changes that occurred in occupied Crimea in 9 years. These are two different tasks that require different approaches. In the context of the Kherson region, the security sector and crimes related to unequivocal collaborationism are in the first place. As for Crimea, it is a completely different situation that requires more thorough preparation. Of course, in Crimea, we cannot do without changes in the regulatory and legal sphere. In general, it is very difficult to compare these two cases. If only because we do not know in what way Crimea will be deoccupied: will there be direct military actions there, of what kind of activity?”,– noted the expert.
The expert noted that the issue of the deoccupation of Crimea may come before the entire Ukrainian society this year. This means that there is not much time to create a program of actions, to form a vision of governance in the deoccupied territory. In particular, from March 3 to 7, the Crimean Tatar Resource Center, with the support of of the Friedrich Naumann Foundation for Freedom in Ukraine, held the Future of Crimea Strategic Forum, where Yevhen Khlobystov also participated.
“We will face a whole series of problems of a political, governmental, security nature, environmental issues – we have serious challenges in this area. This really requires a professional expert discussion. It is very good that it has started, but in my opinion it should have started a little earlier. Because we have already wasted some time. We are now starting to understand the primary steps after de-occupation. The next block is steps related to the socio-economic and socio-political reintegration of Crimea into Ukraine. It is necessary not only to talk about it, but to go into specific projects of government decisions, policies, plans and programs. This is exactly what the circle of experts is talking about today”,- he explained.