Doc. 7960
25 November 1997

Repatriation and integration of the Tatars of Crimea

Motion for a recommendation

presented by Mr Diaz de Mera and others

This motion has not been discussed in the Assembly and commits only the members who have signed it

1.       In 1944, the whole of the Tatar nation - between 250,000 and 350,000 people - was deported from Crimea to central Asia by Stalin on the pretext of their collaboration with the Nazis. Many of them perished while being deported.

2.       Since 1988, these Tatars have been allowed to return to their region of origin. When Ukraine became independent, it unequivocally confirmed that it would uphold the Tatar people's right to return and the rate of repatriation increased. At present, some 260,000 Tatars have returned and as many more are expected to follow.

3.       Integrating these people poses serious problems. On returning, they often find their former property destroyed or occupied. For the most part, they live in appalling humanitarian and social conditions - approximately half of them have no housing and 40% are unemployed.

4.       Ukraine does not have the material resources to improve this situation substantially. Involved in a process of transition and suffering from economic difficulties, it is forced to assume a significant material burden in order to rectify the errors of the communist period.

5.       The Assembly considers that support must be given to states implementing policies aimed at upholding human rights, in this case the right of deported peoples to return.

6.       The Assembly recalls its Recommendation 1334 (1997) on refugees, asylum seekers and displaced persons in the Commonwealth of Independent States (CIS), which sets out general principles for action in this field.

7.       At the same time, the Assembly considers that specific recommendations should be drawn up to facilitate the return and integration of the Tatar people, and asks the Committee of Ministers:

       to make available to the Government of Ukraine the Council of Europe's expertise on legal questions relating to the integration of repatriates, such as access to citizenship, residence permits, etc;

       to ask the Social Development Fund to consider what it can do to facilitate the integration of the Tatars of Crimea;

       to call on member states to contribute to the funding of current integration aid programmes for the Tatars of Crimea.

Signed : ¹

Diaz de Mera, Spain, EPP/CD

Aguiar, Portugal, EPP/CD

Akselsen, Norway, SOC

Atkinson, United Kingdom, EDG

Billing, Sweden, EDG

Brasseur, Luxembourg, LDR

Busic, Croatia, EPP/CD

Christodoulides, Cyprus, UEL

Clerfayt, Belgium, LDR

Fehr, Switzerland, LDR

Fuhrmann, Austria, SOC

Gross, Switzerland, SOC

Judd, United Kingdom, SOC

Kalus, Czech Republic, EDG

Loukota, Czech Republic, NR

Luis, Portugal, SOC

Paslaru, Romania, SOC

Ponsonby, United Kingdom, SOC

¹        SOC: Socialist Group

      PPE/CD: Group of the European People’s Party

      GDE: European Democratic Group

      LDR : Liberal, Democratic and Reformers’ Group

      UEL: Group of the Unified European Left

      NR: not registered in a group