Ukrainian President Viktor Yanukovych has said that the principles of state ethno-national policy and tolerance have to be improved.
"Much work is still to be done. We should improve the principles of the state ethno-national policy, establish an intercultural dialog and tolerance in public life, and work more on the settlement of problems linked to the improvement of life in the motherland of those deported and their descendants," reads the text of president’s address on the occasion of the 67th anniversary of deportation of Crimean Tatars and persons of other nationalities from Crimea.
President Yanukovych noted that 67 years ago about 200,000 Crimean Tatars were deported from the Crimean peninsula, which destroyed their "centuries-old life organization and cultural traditions".
"The obtaining of independence by Ukraine opened the way back to their native land for those deported, and at present we can be proud of the variety of our multinational cultural heritage. We by the right are proud that over the years of Ukraine’s independence there were no serious international conflicts. This testifies that we are a united people, the solidarity of which nobody and nothing can destroy," the head of state said.
