Lawmakers have proposed renaming geographical features in Crimea

<span><span><span><span><span><span>A bill has been introduced in Ukraine that would allow for the renaming of geographical names in the Autonomous Republic of Crimea. It will be possible to implement this new provision even during the period of temporary occupation.</span></span></span></span></span></span>

<span><span><span><span><span><span>This was reported by Member of Parliament and Crimean Tatar human rights activist Tamila Tasheva.</span></span></span></span></span></span>

<span><span><span><span><span><span>Bill No. 15439</span></span></span></span></span></span><span><span><span><span><span><span> proposes granting the Cabinet of Ministers of Ukraine the authority to carry out or initiate the renaming of geographic features in Crimea or to restore their historical names. The provision also establishes clear deadlines within which these actions must take place. </span></span></span></span></span></span>

<span><span><span><span><span><span>The bill also explicitly provides for the possibility of restoring historical names to locations that were renamed during the Soviet era in connection with deportations, particularly those of the Crimean Tatars.</span></span></span></span></span></span>

<span><span><span><span><span><span>According to the document, all processes must take place following consultations with the representative bodies of Ukraine’s indigenous peoples. </span></span></span></span></span></span>

<span><span><span><span><span><span>The authors of the initiative note that Ukraine’s current laws do not fully account for the</span></span></span></span></span></span>temporary occupation of Crimea. The renaming procedures provided for in those laws assign relevant powers to entities that, under the conditions of occupation, did not in fact exercise the powers entrusted to them by the Constitution and laws of Ukraine. Furthermore, the deadlines for renaming established by law have proven too short to be met, particularly under martial law. As a result, settlements in Crimea still bear names that contradict Ukrainian law. 

The draft law has now been referred to committees for review. 

Previously, the European Court of Human Rights (ECHR) confirmed that Russia has no right to apply its legislation in the occupied territory. Therefore, all decisions by the occupying authorities, on the basis of which people’s land was seized, are illegal.

Юлія Калабайда