Polish Sejm recognizes deportation of Crimean Tatar people in 1944 as genocide

Mykola Kniazhytskyi, a member of the Ukrainian parliament, said.

"It is extremely important for us that the whole world recognizes the deportation of Crimean Tatars as genocide. Because we are a democratic country. Crimean Tatars are part of the Ukrainian people who suffered from the Russian Empire and continue to suffer now. Crimea is now occupied, and it is extremely important for us to liberate Crimea. We can liberate it only if we fight together with the whole world for the rights of the Crimean Tatar population," he told Espreso.

The Polish Sejm recognized that “the deportation of the Crimean Tatars in 1944 and its consequences were an act of genocide against the Crimean Tatar people.”

"The Polish parliament recognized the deportation of Crimean Tatars in 1944 as genocide. This is an extremely important decision! The Baltic countries have already joined the recognition of this terrible crime. A month ago, the PACE called for recognizing the 1944 deportation as an act of genocide against the Crimean Tatar people. And today, the Polish Sejm adopted an important resolution on this issue," noted Kniazhytskyi.

The resolution "On honoring the memory of the victims of the genocide of the Crimean Tatar people" was supported in the Sejm by 414 votes, with 16 against and 2 abstentions.

Photo: Uliana Panasiuk

The Chairman of the Mejlis of the Crimean Tatar people, Refat Chubarov, also commented on Poland's recognition of the deportation of Crimean Tatars in 1944 as genocide.

"The deportation of the Crimean Tatars in 1944 and its consequences were an act of genocide against the Crimean Tatar people. We thank the leadership and deputies of the Sejm, we thank all those involved in the preparation of this decision both in Poland and Ukraine. Special thanks to the Chairman of the Sejm Committee on Foreign Affairs Pavel Koval, People's Deputy of Ukraine Mykola Kniazhytskyi, Ambassador of Ukraine to Poland (now to the Czech Republic) Vasyl Zvarych, members of the Mejlis of the Crimean Tatar people, member of the Executive Board of the World Congress of Crimean Tatars, coordinator in Poland Nedim Useinov," he wrote.

• On May 18, Ukraine and the world commemorated the Day of Remembrance of the Victims of the Genocide of the Crimean Tatar People. The year 2024 marks the 80th anniversary of the genocide of the indigenous people of Crimea.