By Inna ZOLOTUKHINA, The Day
"Over $300 million has been earmarked for resettling the Crimean Tatars
who have returned to their homeland. But, unfortunately, far from all this
money has been used for the purpose," deputy chairman of the State Committee
for Nationalities and Migration of Ukraine Yuri Bilukha told The
Day, "Had each of the 60,000 Tatar households now residing in Ukraine
been allocated $5000, the housing problem would have been resolved long
ago." About 48% of the Crimean Tatars living in Ukraine (110,000 persons)
do not have a residence of their own and have to stay at hostels or rent
a private apartment. Out of 133,100 able-bodied returnees, only 66.8% have
a job. According to the press center of the Crimean Tatar People's Mejlis,
the Crimea may see outbreaks of mass protest in the second half of March.
In early April, Simferopol will host an all-Ukrainian public rally, reports
Interfax-Ukraine. The Mejlis presidium members, who made this decision,
said the main purpose of the protest actions is to draw attention to the
"ignoring of the rights of the Crimean Tatar people in the Constitution
of the Crimean Autonomous Republic and by the Crimean authorities."
