Ukrainian journalist Vitaly Portnikov said that Kiev should not deprive the Crimean Tatars of autonomy, because "the Ukrainian people are in their debt".

The corresponding opinion Portnikov expressed in a blog for "Radio Liberty".

"Crimean Tatars gain a foothold in the occupied Crimea, to remain there national majority failed. But this does not mean that the Crimea has ceased to be their homeland. This does not mean that they must give up their dream of statehood. Simply, this statehood should be created by them with the support of the Ukrainian state. The Ukrainian people are indebted to the Crimean Tatars, "writes the journalist.

According to him, the Crimean autonomy was created precisely as the autonomy of the indigenous peoples of the peninsula, and territorial autonomy is only falsification.

"If the autonomy of the Crimea had a clear Crimean Tatar accent, if there were, say, a bicameral parliament with a representation of nationalities on the peninsula, no occupation of the Crimea would simply have happened. And the peninsula itself would be different and would otherwise be perceived by the Crimean Tatars themselves and the Slav population, "concluded Portnikov.

As reported by the "Observer", on the eve of the network scandal erupted because of the idea to deprive Crimea of ??autonomy.

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