Head of the Board of the Crimean Tatar Resource Center, Head of the legal and foreign affairs department of Mejlis of the Crimean Tatar people Eskender Bariiev, in an interview with Radio Liberty, drew parallels between the occupation of Crimea in 2014 and the events in Melitopol and Kherson.
The expert stressed that the main task of the occupants is to take control of the administrative buildings, as well as the television and radio company and the airport. So, says Bariiev, 8 years ago, broadcasting of Russian channels began through the Crimea TV and radio company and negotiations were underway with the Crimean deputies.
“If we saw that there were government officials in Crimea who cooperated with the occupiers – of course, these processes did not go right away, I remember that the head of Belogorsk resigned, and some were in office and tried to take an ambiguous position – then in Melitopol we see a more principled position of local authorities and we see the activity of the territorial community, which does not cease to support the representatives of the authorities they elect.”