The rights of Crimea must be observed in strict compliance with the autonomy's Constitution, Ukrainian President Viktor Yanukovych announced on Thursday.
"Crimea, as the leader of regional development, has an autonomous status, and it must be granted all the rights envisaged by the republic’s constitution," he told the Council of the Regions in Kyiv, explaining his decision to sign a bill on changes to Ukrainian laws concerning land administration in Crimea, defying some experts’ advice to veto them.
"I signed it because this is my principled position, and not only with regards to Crimea," the president said.
"Crimea occupies a special place… And it will have this special place, because there is only one Crimea in Ukraine and in the world… And we will create certain conditions for this region because otherwise it will be ruined," he said.
A pilot project that would enable the region to "feel strong" is currently being launched in Crimea, he said.
