Chubarov: Crimean Civic blockade will go down the history of Ukraine and the de-occupation of Crimea

At the anniversary of the Crimean blockade beginning the chairman of the Mejlis of the Crimean Tatar people, Refat Chubarov reminded what claims were put in by the blockade activists toward the occupiers, on the one hand, and toward the Ukrainian authorities, on the other hand.

«We claimed immediately ceasing the repressive crackdowns and violations committed by the occupation authorities in Crimea toward the Ukrainian citizens and releasing the political prisoners (there was less number of them that time than now). I remember who the political prisoners were – Akhtem Chiygoz, Ali Asanov, Rustem Vaitov, Mustafa Degermendzhi, Ruslan Zeytullaev, Aleksandr Kolchenko, Nuri Primov, Ferrat Seytullaev, Nadezhda Savchenko, Oleg Sentsov (…). We also claimed lifting the travel ban to the leader of the Crimean Tatar people Mustafa Dzhemilev, the head of the Mejlis Ismet Yuksel, and Sinaver Kadirov. We appealed to the Verkhovna Rada of Ukraine to dismantle the Economic Freedom Zones Act in Crimea. We demanded to open the special logistic centers in Kherson region», Refat Chubarov reminded at a briefing in Kiev.

According to the Crimean Civic blockade coordinator, Lenur Islyamov, they realized the Russian Empire being their foremost enemy isn’t going to «follow certainly the claims of activists».

«But we made sure to be heard. We forced them spending a lot of money creating the headquarters involved the high-ranking security officials in there», Islyamov said.

Chubarov reminded speaking about the energy blockade that it isn’t oriented against the social facilities in Crimea like hospitals, maternity hospitals, and nursery schools, as the propaganda media tried to present.

 «We knew that the existing energy resources and storage generating sources in Crimea are enough for providing hospitals and kindergartens. We have warned them of need to import generators. However we could not afford the Ukrainian electricity «to charge» the Russian military units», Chubarov said.

According to him, there was the first data on energy consumption, in particular from Evpatoriya. It turned out that the one-third of city electricity is consumed by the social facilities, and more than half goes to serve the military units.

Speaking about the blockade’s role, Chubarov assured that «no doubt, the Crimean Civic blockade would go down the history of Ukraine and de-occupation of Crimea».

To remind some facts, at September 20, 2015 at 12.00 in Chongar there had been starting the Crimean Civic blockade of Crimea, where activists blocked any trade operations with the occupied peninsula. According to Islyamov there will hold a rally at September, 24, in Chongar. The blockade activists will be also awarded with the distinctive memorials.