In his opening speech at the plenary meeting on Wednesday, May 18 — the 72nd anniversary of the deportation of the Crimean Tatar people, Chairperson of the Verkhovna Rada of Ukraine Andrii Parubii called on the people's deputies to pay tribute to the victims of the deportation.
"Within the major wave of the deportation on May 18-20, it took then regime representatives three days to oust a total of 180,000 people. The deportation was catastrophic for the Crimean Tatars. Famine, and diseases took lives of over 30,000 Crimean Tatars," Andrii Parubii said.
According to the Chairperson of the Verkhovna Rada, only independent Ukraine let the Crimean Tatars return to their native land, from where their great-grandparents, grandparents and fathers had been deported long time ago.
Today the Russia's occupation of Crimea again threw the Crimean Tatars population to the times of cruel persecutions and oppression. The major self-organization body of the Crimean Tatars — the Mejlis — has been announced an extremist organization. The Russian invaders violently suppress any attempt to support the Crimean Tatars initiatives.
Ukraine and the Ukrainians are united. Together we will oust the Russian occupant and liberate the Ukrainian lands, build our joint happy future. Today together with our Crimean Tatar brothers we pay tribute to the memory of the victims of the Stalin-initiated deportation.
Crimea is Ukraine!