CRIMEA CELEBRATES RUSSIA DAY

From Monsters and Critics.com

Media Monitor
Ukraine's authorities aim to split society, says ex-presidential candidate
By BBC
Jun 13, 2005, 19:00 GMT



[Presenter] In Crimea, the leader of the Party of Regions [Viktor Yanukovych] took part in events to mark Russia Day. The Russian Bloc party and Crimea\'s Russian community organized the festivities.

Major events took place in Alushta and Sevastopol. Russia Day was marked in Simferopol with a celebratory march and a rally attended by many thousands.

[Correspondent] Crimea really pushed the boat out when marking Russia Day. The Russian community organized extra transport so people could come to Simferopol from all corners of the peninsula, but still not everyone who wanted to come to the festival could get there.

During a rally, a live Bohdan Khmelnytskyy on a horse was spotted among the crowd. Crimean residents not only applauded him, but also quoted him.

[Henadiy Narayev, deputy chairman of the Descendants of Bohdan Khmelnytskyy organization\'s Crimean branch] Bohdan Khmelnytskiy\'s words - with Russia forever - are as valid today as ever. Most of Crimea\'s people understand and support Bohdan Khmelnytskyy\'s ideas and deeds.

[Correspondent] During the celebration of Russia Day, a rally was attended by all Crimean organizations that support the unification of Slavic peoples, good neighbourly relations with Russia and the granting of Russian the status of a second state language. The leader of the Party of Regions, who was visiting Crimea at the weekend, also backed these positions.

[Yanukovych, shown addressing the rally from the stage] The policy the new authorities are conducting is aimed at splitting Ukrainian society, and the crack that appeared during the election is deepening. We are against this!

[Correspondent] Crimea\'s Russian speakers voted for Yanukovych during the presidential election, and promise their support for the Party of Regions leader at the parliament election too.

Source: Ukrayina TV, Donetsk, in Russian 1800 gmt 13 Jun 05

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