SHOCK AND CONSTERNATION IN CRIMEA

Four militants of illegal ethnic parliament “the medjlis of the Crimean Tatars” are appointed to the ministerial positions in the new government of the Crimea. This appointment caused shock and consternation among the Crimean population. The “medjlis” is notorious for its involvement in destruction of Orthodox crosses, illegal land takeovers, squatting and violent attacks on Crimeans of Slavic descent. The new prime minister of the fictious Crimean autonomy Anatoly Burdyugov has outdone his predecessor Anatoly Matvienko who avoided any flirtation with such an unlawful political grouping as the “medjlis”. According to Ukrainian laws any public or political organization should be registered with the ministry of justice. The “medjlis” has been stubbornly refusing to undergo registration because it considers itself as the only legislative body to rule the Crimea. The Ukrainian regime is closing its eyes on such an anticonstitutional attitude because nationalists in Kiev are playing off Tatar extremists against the Russian speaking majority on the peninsula. Prime minister Burdyugov is known for his sympathies towards the illegal “medjlis”. He formed his cabinet Wednesday out of politicians from three groups he considers to be in the position of influence: orange nationalists, Party of regions (picking up its strength after the defeat at the presidential elections) and the “medjlis”. Observers are pointing out that the new cabinet is made up of political appointees and contains no much needed professionals. The new ministers will be unable to cope with the economic and especially energy crises in the Crimea. The peninsula is facing further economic slump and deterioration of the living standards.