This is a fundamental and the first document since 2014, which defines the main directions of State policy aimed at reintegration and de-occupation of the temporarily occupied Crimea and provides for the implementation a set of traditional and asymmetric measures of diplomatic, military, economic, informational, humanitarian and in other spheres. It is no exaggeration to say that the adoption of the Strategy of De-occupation and Reintegration of the Temporarily Occupied Territory of the Autonomous Republic of Crimea and the City of Sevastopol is a historical event. The adoption of such a strategic document has long been expected. It is a public open document, in fact a public policy statement, policy paper. It sets a broad framework for the State’s work on the track of the de-occupation of Crimea.
To implement the Strategy, the Cabinet of Ministers of Ukraine must develop an appropriate Action Plan within three months, which will contain a list of specific steps towards de-occupation and reintegration.
The Strategy is based on the principles of combining the formation of a policy of de-occupation and reintegration of the temporarily occupied territory in Ukraine with measures to build peace, increase the country’s defense capabilities, socio-political and socio-economic development of Ukraine on the basis of European and Euro-Atlantic integration.
The strategy has the following goals:
– restoration of territorial integrity and ensuring the state sovereignty of Ukraine within internationally recognized borders;
– ensuring national unity, stability and cohesion of Ukrainian society;
– cessation of the use of the temporarily occupied territory for activities that threaten the national security of Ukraine and/or are aimed at undermining international security and peace;
– introduction of legal bases of transitional justice;
– formation and implementation of policy in the legal, social, educational, informational, humanitarian and other spheres on the restoration of trust, guaranteeing the rights and legitimate interests of the citizens of Ukraine who have suffered as in a result of the temporary occupation of the territory of Ukraine;
– ensuring sustainable socio-political, humanitarian and economic development of Ukraine on the basis of European integration.
Separate parts of the Strategy are devoted to the protection of human rights and freedoms, legal protection of citizens and legal entities of Ukraine, whose rights and legitimate interests are violated as a result of temporary occupation of Ukraine, economic, social and humanitarian, environmental, information, defense and security policies, strengthening national stability and international cooperation.
The Crimean platform is identified as a key of foreign policy tool for coordinating international efforts to de-occupy the Crimean peninsula.
An important element of the policy of de-occupation is the preservation of ethnic and religious diversity of the Crimean peninsula and the creation of conditions, including institutional, for the development of the culture of the Crimean Tatar and other indigenous national minorities.
For the Mission of the President of Ukraine in the Autonomous Republic of Crimea, the development and direct participation in the preparation of these documents is important, because one of our tasks is to prepare the legal basis for the government on the de-occupation and reintegration of Crimea.
We are very grateful to the President of Ukraine Volodymyr Zelenskyy, Office of the President of Ukraine, National Security and Defense Council of Ukraine, Ministry for Reintegration of Temporarily Occupied Territories of Ukraine, Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Ukraine / MFA of Ukraine, Crimea_SOS, Ukrainian Helsinki Human Rights Union, ZMINA. Human Rights Centre, the Mejlis of the Crimean Tatar people and colleagues from other expert organizations for their participation in this process.
Special thanks to colleagues from the National Security and Defense Council, who made all this possible.
This is a really important historical decision. It is important for our citizens from the temporarily occupied territories, for internally displaced persons from Crimea and for our international partners on the eve of the launch of the Crimean Platform.
We are grateful to everyone who worked for this decision.