Russian delegation presents report on situation in Crimea at UNESCO session - en.itar-tass/russia/755690 Information on the Situation in the Republic of Crimea (Russian Federation) in the Fields of UNESCO Competence, Received from Russian Competent Authorities (provided by russianunesco.ru/eng/) TABLE OF CONTENTS 1 INFORMATION ON THE SITUATION IN THE REPUBLIC OF CRIMEA IN THE FIELDS OF UNESCO CORE COMPETENCE[1] (a) The right of citizens to the freedom of expression (b) To the pseudo-thesis of the threat to Crimean cultural heritage posed by the “deployment of the Russian Black Sea fleet. Chersonese’s state of conservation (c) To the pseudo-thesis of massive transfer of cultural objects from Crimean museums to Russian cities (d) Ensuring equal access to education in Crimea, including teaching in the Ukrainian and Crimean Tatar languages (e) Ukraine’s systematic action to create a socio-economic crisis in Crimea 2 ON THE BLOCKED OR STOPPED UNESCO ACTIVITIES IN CRIMEA[2] (i) The activities of the Artek category 2 centre (ii) Expert work in the framework of the 2001 Convention 3 RUSSIAN GOVERNMENT’S MEASURES TO SUPPORT EDUCATION, SCIENCE, CULTURE AND COMMUNICATION IN CRIMEA (a) Federal Target Program Social and Economic Development of the Republic of Crimea and Sevastopol until 2020 (b) Education (c) The establishment of Crimean Federal University (V.I. Vernadsky University) (d) Culture (e) Health (f) Youth 4 ETHNIC RELATIONS 1 INFORMATION ON THE SITUATION IN THE REPUBLIC OF CRIMEA IN THE FIELDS OF UNESCO CORE COMPETENCE[3] (a) The right of citizens to the freedom of expression The Ministry of Internal Policy, Information and Communication of the Republic of Crimea has no recorded data on cases of so-called encroachments to the freedom of speech, mass violations of journalists rights, assault, beatings or abductions of media representatives alleged by Ukrainian media. As regards the work of foreign journalists in the Republic of Crimea, including those from the CIS States, they are accredited in the press centre of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Russian Federation in accordance with the Rules for Accreditation and Stay of Foreign Mass Media Correspondents in the Russian Federation, approved by decision 1055 (13.09.1994) of the Government of the Russian Federation. In addition, in order to ensure free access to information, on 24 June 2014 an official portal of the Government of the Republic of Crimea was launched. It combines all the sites of ministries, departments and other state bodies of the executive branch. The structure of the site in the public domain presents information on the composition of the Council of Ministers of the Republic of Crimea, government’s decisions, state and municipal contracts, jobs, contacts and much more. Shortly, the portal will include pages on cities and regions, following the structure of local authorities. A separate section is dedicated to public procurements and personnel policy. It also contains contact information and feedback. In accordance with the Federal Law on covering public authorities’ activities in the public media, Article 41 of the Law of the Republic of Crimea on the system of executive bodies of state power of the Republic of Crimea and in order to ensure broad public awareness and media coverage of activities of the Council of Ministers of the Republic of Crimea and bodies of executive power, on 19 August 2014 the Government adopted decision 826-r On the Organization of the Coverage of the Activities by the Council of Ministers of the Republic of Crimea. There are 3,121 mass media[4] In the Republic of Crimea and Sevastopol today, including those of Crimean Tatars. These mass media include 47 TV channels and 59 radio stations. A permanent expert council is being established at Crimean State Council’s Committee on Information Policy, Communications and Mass Media. It will develop laws and regulations in the fields of information policy, press and communications. The Ministry of Information and Communications of the Republic of Crimea actively works with cable providers of the peninsula given the need to rebuild their broadcasting policy in view of new demands and wishes of Crimean residents. In May, Roskomnadzor organized a seminar for Crimean mass media to guide them in the process of entering into the legal framework of Russia. The agenda includes the following items: the legal aspects of the work of mass media and the procedure for registering them in the Russian Federation; the system of authorizations in the field of mass communications in Russia; the implementation of state control in the sphere of mass communications; TV broadcasting licensing, as well as the procedure for licensing communication services for cable broadcasting. In October, a festival You can! for young TV journalists took place in Gurzuf (Crimea). Crimean Tatar mass media are going to establish a professional association of journalists. This was agreed at a coordination meeting of the leaders of Crimean Tatar print and electronic media. The creation of this association is explained by the need to address many issues that have arisen in the media field since the accession of the Republic of Crimea to the Russian Federation. Special attention should be paid to the encroachments to the security of Crimean journalists working in Ukraine: in August, members of an extremist Ukrainian group Right Sector detained and beat the journalists of The Crimean Telegraph»: photographer Maxim Vassilenko and correspondent Evgeny Korolev. On 24 August, Anna Mokhova, a freelance correspondent for public television and radio Crimea, went missing in Ukraine during her trip to the war zone in the Donbas region. She was detained by unidentified persons together with her colleague Alexey Shapovalov. According to the editor-in-chief, the journalist was held by the Security Service of Ukraine (SBU) in the Kharkiv Region. Representations of the Ukrainian mass media can operate freely in the Republic of Crimea as foreign mass media. This was confirmed in April by Minister of Information and Mass Communications of the Republic of Crimea Dmitry Polonsky. Claims concerning the limitation of the freedom of expression by closing Ukrainian broadcast channels in the Republic of Crimea should be linked with the situation in Ukraine. Even earlier, the latter blocked Russian broadcast channels. There are in Ukraine numerous documented cases of pressure on, and direct violence against, journalists with the participation of radical nationalists who practice, according to the European Parliament, racist, anti-Semitic and xenophobic views. (b) To the pseudo-thesis of the threat to Crimean cultural heritage posed by the “deployment of the Russian Black Sea fleet. Chersonese’s state of conservation. Ensuring proper preservation of cultural heritage sites and museum treasures in the Republic of Crimea is a priority for the region. The Ministry of Culture of the Republic of Crimea administers 16 museums, including 6 historical and cultural reserves concentrating on the protection of monuments. In order to provide the legal regulation of the preservation and management of cultural heritage, a draft law of the Republic of Crimea On Cultural Heritage was adopted by the State Council of the Republic of Crimea in the first reading. One of the first resolutions adopted by the State Council of the Republic of Crimea was decision 1841-6/14 (26.04.2014) On Activities Aimed at Preserving Cultural Values. Its objective is to ensure the protection of the cultural heritage of the Republic of Crimea and the preservation of museum objects and collections, including those transferred for temporary storage outside the Republic of Crimea. Decision 2152-6/14 (21.05.2014) of the State Council of the Republic of Crimea On Measures Aimed at Preserving Cultural Heritage in the Territory of the Republic of Crimea in the Transition Period provides for a moratorium on the allocation of land plots containing cultural heritage objects (including re-identified); on reconstruction works, implementation of capital construction works and other activities that may worsen the condition of cultural heritage; and on a change of users and owners of cultural heritage. The only World Heritage site in Crimea is the “Ancient City of Tauric Chersonese and its chora”. It was nominated to the World Heritage List and then approved by the 37th session of the World Heritage Committee in Phnom Penh (June 2013) with the direct involvement of, and support from, the Russian delegation as one of the members of the Committee. The management team of the National Reserve Tauric Chersonese does not confirm information concerning the deterioration of monuments of UNESCO World Heritage Site “Ancient City of Tauric Chersonese and its chora”. All the areas of the Reserve retain their integrity, are protected by the state and serve as sites for research and tourism. In some areas of the city of Chersonese and its chora there are archaeological excavations accompanied by appropriate work on their conservation. Archaeological objects are transferred to the National Reserve. The Government of the city of Sevastopol is preparing a City Master Plan that will confirm all the reserve areas and their buffer (protected) zones established earlier. Since the inscription of the city of Chersonese in UNESCO World Heritage List in June 2013, Ukraine did not implement the recommendations of the World Heritage Centre to increase funding for the preservation of the site. The Reserve was ready to hold a series of works on its own extra-budgetary funds but the State Treasury of Ukraine blocked the use of these funds and a significant amount remained on the treasury accounts. The whole process of preparing Chersonese’s nomination was extremely difficult. A program of the reserve development was not approved by the Ministry of Finance of Ukraine, and not a dime was allocated to prepare the nomination file. The whole process was carried out solely by the enthusiasm of the staff and scholars. It should be added that main achievements related to the identification, preservation and promotion of the city of Chersonese are the result of the activities by Russian, Soviet and local scientists and experts in the protection of monuments. Paradoxically, the most serious work on conserving and restoring the city of Chersonese was carried out after World War II. These activities fully reflect the attitude of the state to the preservation of the monument. One should not forget that this site was inscribed in UNESCO preliminary list of nominations in 1989 by the government of the USSR. During the last decade, the Ministry of Culture of Ukraine, which is the chief financial administrator in this field, allocated no funds to the implementation of Reserve functions, including the preservation of cultural heritage. Moreover, the Ukrainian Government adopted no programs for the development of the Reserve. It is important to note that the World Heritage Committee has not mentioned the presence of the Black Sea fleet of the Russian Federation among immediate potential risks to the city of Chersonese, unlike other urban factors. Appropriate measures are taken on the site “Ancient City of Tauric Chersonese and its chora” in pursuance of the decision adopted by the 37th session of WHC (37 COM 8B.40). The scientific team of the National Reserve (NR) The Tauric Chersonese, assisted by the Russian Ministry of Culture, has prepared documents for the second cycle of the Periodic Reporting on the Implementation of UNESCO 1972 Convention. Necessary activities are carried out in order to prepare a report on the state of conservation of this cultural monument and the implementation of WHC decisions concerning it. In last April, Deputy Prime Minister of the Russian Federation Olga Golodets and Russian Minister of Culture Vladimir Medinsky visited Crimea on the occasion of the opening of the Year of Russian Culture. The program of the Year includes more than a hundred of performances, exhibitions and other events. The Deputy Prime Minister and the Minister held a specific meeting with the staff of The Tauric Chersonese NR. In September, the site was visited by M.B. Piotrovsky, the Director of the State Hermitage Museum and the President of the Russian Council of Museums. According to him, “the state of the reserve is brilliant. He praised site development projects and noted that much had been done in the fields of restoring and conserving the monuments and of organizing appropriate museological services. Moreover, he specially mentioned the large number of tourists. Since the historic reunification of Crimea with Russia, the scientific basis and operation capacity of “The Tauric Chersonese National Reserve have not undergone significant changes. The reserve is open for visitors and works even more intensively than in the last year. During three months in 2014, the site hosted 20 142 visitors and tourists, which is 8 274 more than during the first quarter of the last year. 110 guided tours were organised (versus 104 in the same period of 2013). The museum received 377 foreign tourists (as compared to 304 in the first quarter of 2013). Research, security, scientific, educational and economic activities are carried out in accordance with a plan approved by the Academic Board of the reserve for 2014. All funds and collections of the reserve are properly safeguarded, maintained and protected. According to information provided by the National Reserve, rumours of its inaccessibility to Ukrainian scholars are greatly exaggerated. The site has not curtailed its international scientific activity and has no intention to do this. In May, the Reserve hosted the 16th Conference on the History of Religion and Religious Studies on the theme: The Great Schism. Religions of the World before and after the Division of the Churches. The Conference was attended by archaeologists, Byzantinists and religious scholars. Speakers included scholars from research organizations in Crimea, Moscow, Yekaterinburg, Barnaul and Kazan. Moreover, abstracts of speeches by Ukrainian and Polish scholars were published In June, the site received the 6th Byzantine Seminar on the theme: The Empire and the Polis with the participation of Russian and Moldavian scientists. There are plans to develop international scientific cooperation further. (c) To the pseudo-thesis of massive transfer of cultural objects from Crimean museums to Russian cities Allegations concerning a massive transfer of certain cultural values from Crimea to other Russian cities are absolutely unfounded. This information is not confirmed, at least in presentations by Ukrainian opponents who appear to mean “looting” by “transfer”. On the contrary. Crimea is a treasury of historical heritage. There are 318 large and small museums on the peninsula today. According to Russian Minister of Culture V.R. Medinsky (last March), archaeological research will continue in Crimea, inventories of cultural heritage sites will be studied, and a program for their protection and restoration will be developed. In Crimea, there are a lot of sites that deserve to be inscribed in UNESCO World Heritage List, and we shall carry out this work. Protection of cultural heritage in Crimea is declared one of the priorities of Russian policies for two reasons: because it is priceless and because the legislation of the Russian Federation requires safeguarding it. The Ministry of Culture of the Russian Federation signed an agreement with Crimea and Sevastopol on the protection of cultural heritage and on the delegation by the Ministry of certain responsibilities in the sphere of state protection of cultural heritage sites to the Council of Ministers of the Republic of Crimea and the City of Sevastopol authorities. This agreement, in particular, stipulates that the Republic of Crimea and the City of Sevastopol shall implement state control and supervision over the preservation, use, promotion and state protection of the cultural heritage on the territory of the Republic of Crimea and the City of Sevastopol. It stipulates security obligations related to the privatization of cultural heritage (historical and cultural monuments) of federal importance on the territory of the Republic of Crimea and the City of Sevastopol. The agreement also concerns the definition of the boundaries of historical and cultural reserves of federal importance on the territory of the Republic of Crimea and the City of Sevastopol. In last June, the Hermitage State Museum and a number of Crimean open-air museums signed an agreement on scientific and cultural cooperation. In this context, the city of Kerch hosted in September a scientific conference devoted to cooperation between Kerch and the Hermitage and to the latter’s 250th anniversary that is in the list of UNESCO memorable dates. The Russian Government together with Crimean museums takes active measures to fight against black archaeology. The cultural heritage of Crimea includes about 10 000 archaeological, historical and architectural monuments some of which are thousands-year old. (Throughout Russia in all there are 140 000 registered monuments.) In recent years, Ukrainian and Crimean sources, unfortunately, were full of alarming information on the state of Crimean cultural heritage: abandoned ancient buildings deteriorating, monuments suffering from unauthorized construction, black archaeologists robbing ancient cities, monks ”renovating” cave monasteries without worrying about protection commitments, private owners rebuilding exquisite villas, etc. NGOs and the Republican Committee for the Protection of Cultural Heritage were even forced to organize annual public campaigns in defence of Crimean monuments. In March 2014, Russia took the responsibility for Crimea, including the protection of its cultural heritage. Among numerous civilizations that have left their rich heritage here, the Russian Crimea is not least. The history of Russian culture, in its different manifestations, includes classical ensembles in Kerch and Sevastopol, Russian style temples, countless palaces, manors and villas of late 19th – early 20th centuries in a variety of styles and images, from Gothic to Art Nouveau, from Moorish to neo-Greek. For us this is Crimea of Voloshin, Chekhov, Grin, Paustovsky and other major figures of Russian culture. This being so, there is no reason to talk about risks of devastation or to assume that Russia would tolerate a massive transfer of objects of cultural heritage from Crimea. (d) Ensuring equal access to education in Crimea, including teaching in the Ukrainian and Crimean Tatar languages The right of citizens of the Russian Federation to pre-school, primary general and basic general education in their mother tongue and the right to study mother tongues, is ensured in the Republic of Crimea by the provision of necessary numbers of appropriate educational establishments, classes and groups, as well as conditions for their functioning. The Ministry of Education, Science and Youth of the Republic of Crimea implements the monitoring of needs of the citizens for learning in Crimean Tatar and Ukrainian languages. In the school year 2013/14 there were in the Republic of Crimea 510 preschool institutions (with an enrolment of 59.9 thousand children), including one with Crimean Tatar as the language of learning and education (21 children in one group), three with Ukrainian as the language of learning and education (141 children in 6 groups), and one with two languages of learning and education – Crimean Tatar and Ukrainian (33 children in 2 groups with Crimean Tatar as the language of learning and education and 24 children in 2 groups with Ukrainian as the language of learning and education). In 11 municipalities of the Republic of Crimea there were 23 preschool institutions with Russian l as the language of learning and education. These institutions’ infrastructure also served as a basis for 30 groups with Crimean Tatar as the language of learning and education, which enrolled 820 children (1.4% of the total enrolment). In the school year 2013/14 there were in the Republic of Crimea 571 full-day general educational establishments that enrolled 176.4 thousand students, including: 7 schools with Ukrainian as the language of learning (2.2 thousand students in 103 classes) 15 schools with Crimean Tatar as the language of learning (3.0 thousand students in 182 classes) one school with Crimean Tatar as the language of learning and classes with Ukrainian as the language of learning (809 students in 25 classes with Crimean Tatar as the language of learning, and 310 students in 15 classes with Ukrainian as the language of learning) 368 schools with Russian as the language of learning (97.0 thousand students in 4864 classes). In addition, there were in the Republic the following general educational establishments with two or three languages of learning: 133 establishments with Russian and Ukrainian as the languages of learning 20 establishments with Russian and Crimean Tatar as the languages of learning 21 establishments with Russian, Crimean Tatar and Ukrainian as the languages of learning. On the whole, in the school year 2013/14 there were 158.1 thousand students studying in Russian (89.7%), 12.6 thousand students studying in Ukrainian (7.2%), and 5,5 thousand students studying in Crimean Tatar (3.1%). On the basis of a free, voluntary and informed choice of the language of teaching and learning, the educational organization, in accordance with the law on education and local regulations, determines the language of education for the school year (Art. 14 of the Federal Law of 29.12.2012 № 273-F3). In accordance with the legislation of the Russian Federation, and in order to organize the teaching of the Ukrainian and Crimean Tatar languages in the educational institutions of the Republic of Crimea, the Crimean Republican Institute for Postgraduate Education of Teachers implements the following activities: in-service training of teachers of the Ukrainian language and literature and teachers of the Crimean Tatar language and literature (108 hours) workshops on topical issues concerning the teaching of these languages Republican Olympiads on the Ukrainian language and literature and the Crimean Tatar language and literature subject-matter competitions and festivals methodical recommendations gave been prepared On peculiarities of teaching the Ukrainian language and literature and the Crimean Tatar language and literature in 2014/15 school year curricula on the above subjects are being aligned with the legislation of the Russian Federation. In the school year 2013/14, the basic training of teachers of the Crimean Tatar language and literature and the Ukrainian language and literature was carried out by the Tauric National V.I.Vernadsky University and by the republican higher educational establishments: the Crimean Engineering and Pedagogical University and the Crimean University for the Humanities. In addition, the Crimean Engineering and Pedagogical University serves as a basis for training teachers in the field of philology on the following subjects: The Ukrainian language and literature and the Crimean Tatar language and literature, The Crimean Tatar language and literature and the Russian language and literature The Crimean Tatar language and literature and the English language and The Crimean Tatar language and literature and The Turkish language. During the finalization of the school curriculum for 2014/15, Ukrainian schools were chosen only by 230 persons (Crimea’s population is about 2 million). On the preparation of the educational system in the Republic of Crimea for the beginning of the new school year 2014/15 By the beginning of the school year 2014/15 education system of the Republic of Crimea is represented by the following educational institutions: 510 pre-school establishments 570 establishments of general education 148 establishments of additional education for children 361 secondary vocational establishments (vocational schools, technical schools, colleges), 12 higher educational establishments (universities). In order to use Crimea’s higher educational capacity in the most efficient manner, on 4 August 2014 the Government of the Russian Federation decided to establish the Crimean Federal University named after V.I. Vernadsky, which would comprise seven leading higher educational institutions of the Republic, seven colleges and seven research organizations. On the whole, 12 institutions of higher education continue their activities the Republic of Crimea. The system of vocational education in the Republic includes 61 schools. In the context of the 2014 enrolment exercise, the Tauric National V.I.Vernadsky University was selected as the basic higher educational establishment for admitting citizens who were forced to leave the territory of Ukraine. As first-year students, 250 such persons were enrolled. In order to prepare the educational and material basis of educational facilities for the new school year 2014/2015, in June 2014 an agreement was signed between the Ministry of Education and Science of the Russian Federation and the Council of Ministers of the Republic of Crimea on granting in 2014 federal budgetary allocations to the budget of the Republic of Crimea for the following purposes: To acquire textbooks (899 077.6 thousand roubles). The project is completed. To improve in-service training of teachers, managers and other staff in the field of education in the Republic of Crimea (458 million roubles, or 9 million euro). The project is being implemented. To modernize the regional system of preschool education (577 million roubles, or 11 million euro). After their reconstruction and overhaul, 41 pre-school educational institutions are expected to become operational by the end of 2014. To create facilities to practise physical culture and sports in rural secondary institutions (29 million roubles, or 570 thousand euro). By the end of 2014, 9 sports halls will be repaired, 4 sports fields will be renovated, and gyms will be equipped with sports installations in 33 schools of 14 rural districts. To procure in 2014 at least 82 school buses (in all 150 buses are needed), To modernize regional education systems in the Republic of Crimea (1 billion roubles, or 19 million euro).16 constituent entities of the Russian Federation, which are assigned to respective districts and cities of the Republic of Crimea in accordance with the instructions of the Government of the Russian Federation DR-P16-54pr (08.04.2014), granted to educational organizations the total of 39 360.9 thousand roubles (764 thousand euro). “As for the status of Crimean Tatars, they are the citizens of the Russian Federation and are treated like any other citizen of our country[5]. No deportations are planned. Nobody is even considering it. After the referendum in Crimea, in which the overwhelming majority of the local population took the corresponding decision of their own free will, one of the first acts following Crimea’s reunification with Russia was designating three official languages there, including Crimean Tatar language, which never had an official status when Crimea was part of Ukraine. Russia will protect the rights of Crimean Tatars and of all other people in Crimea and the Russian Federation on the whole. This is our state policy.” (e) Ukraine’s systematic action to create a socio-economic crisis in Crimea Water supply After a series of periodic suspensions by the Kyiv authorities of water supply to Crimea through the North-Crimean Canal this spring, the access of the peninsula to water through this canal was stopped in June by a temporary dam. This fact is confirmed by the monitors of the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe (OSCE) as a result of their inspections of the Kherson Region. Before Crimea’s accession to Russia, Ukraine provided 85% of the water supply to Crimea through this North-Crimean Canal running from the Dnieper. After the accession of the republic to Russia, the water supply to Crimea was completely stopped. The monitors noted that the temporary dam that was located a few kilometres before the administrative border, practically completely cut off the flow of water towards Crimea. At the same time, according to the monitors, the Kherson Region authorities assured them that that was not so. Water shortage can result into a loss by the Republic of up to 120 000 hectares of crops. The entire crop of rice is already lost. Potential damage is estimated at 5 billion roubles. It also means the loss of 180 000 jobs for the residents of the region who are engaged in this industry, or 18% of regions gainfully employed population. Water supply was resumed after the transfer of water from the Crimean river Biyuk-Karasu to the North-Crimean Canal. In addition, the Defence Ministry delivers to the southeast of the peninsula up to 9 000 cubic meters of water per day. In May, Russian Prime Minister Dmitry Medvedev has announced that 2.5 billion roubles would be invested into Crimean water supply. Power supply So far, about 80% of electricity consumed by Crimea comes from the grid of Ukraine, which threatens the energy security of the peninsula. Last spring, the Kyiv authorities in earnest declared that there was a possibility of terminating energy supply to the territory of the Republic of Crimea, as requested by the opponents of its separation from Ukraine. According to the Chairman of the Government of the Russian Federation Dmitry Medvedev, the Russian leadership works on the problem of providing electricity to Crimea. In a case of any emergencies we can always provide the peninsula with alternative sources of energy. The creation of its own electricity generation in Crimea will require from the Russian Government from 90 to 100 billion roubles (3 billion euro). Gas supply In order to avoid risks, plans are being developed to build a dedicated underwater gas pipeline to Crimea on the Black Sea bottom. The cost of the project is 6.5 billion roubles (120 million euro). Its capacity will be 1.5-2 billion cubic meters per year. 2 ON THE BLOCKED OR STOPPED UNESCO ACTIVITIES IN CRIMEA[6] (i) The activities of the Artek category 2 centre In the decision of the 194th session of the Executive Board (194 EX/Decision 17, Part I) the International Childrens Center Artek was listed as a non-operational category 2 centre under the auspices of UNESCO. This decision also sets the plan for the conduct of evaluations of non-operational institutes and centres, including the Artek. The Russian delegation has informed the Executive Board at its 194th session that our country is ready to organize administration and management procedures for the International Childrens Centre Artek. Last April, the Russian Government has instructed its ministries to prepare a long-term program for the development of Artek. Such program that, by the way, did not exist before would aim at retaining the international status of Artek that should remain a permanent international centre for childrens diplomacy. Today, the International Childrens Centre Artek is a multifunctional complex that receives children throughout the year. The centre consists of 10 camps, including 9 operating camps with a design capacity of 3523 places per shift, including 1729 places year-round. The territory of the Centre exceeds 216 hectares (including 5.82 hectares of the beach area and 112 hectares of green area). On 16 June 2014, the Government of the Russian Federation by its decision 1061-r decreed to retain the leading position of the Centre in the post-Soviet and world space by setting on the basis of Artek a most efficient international platform to create and test innovative forms of general and supplementary education, recreation and protection of the health of children. The Centre will be used for the development and implementation of new and modernized traditional educational programs that meet international and national requirements of children’s socialization and future professional self-determination. The work plan of the Centre is aimed at turning it into a hub of best practice in the fields of pre-university education and the development and presentation of most successful educational practices that are competitive on a global level. In the coming years, the Artek school is expected to become attractive to children from other countries thanks to high-quality education offered by it, allowing its students to enter the leading universities of the world. A concept for the long-term development of the International Childrens Centre Artek until 2020 is currently being considered by the Government of the Russian Federation. However, as early as 2014, in order to implement priority measures aimed at reviving the activities and development of the Childrens Centre Artek, the Government of the Russian Federation by its decision 565 (19.06.2014) decreed to allocate federal budgetary funds to reconstruction, overhaul and maintenance of buildings of the centre, the purchase of equipment, utensils and furniture, procurement and repair of technical installations and the implementation of measures to ensure the safety of persons on the territory of the ICC Artek. .. In order to implement these program activities in accordance with decision 790 (11.08. 2014) of the Government of the Russian Federation, the federal target program Socio-economic development of the Republic of Crimea and the city of Sevastopol until 2020 earmarks financial allocations for the reconstruction of the Artek ( 21 405 000 thousand roubles, or 411 million euro). As early as by 2021, the ICC Artek will be able to receive 4,700 children per shift. Artek will become the most modern complex of an international scale, meeting the highest social requirements in accordance with the principles of additional educational programs. (ii) Expert work in the framework of the 2001 Convention In the waters of the Black and Azov Seas there is a significant number of underwater heritages, about 500 known objects. Underwater cultural heritage sites were studied annually by underwater archaeological expeditions of the Institute of Archaeology of the National Academy of Sciences of Ukraine and Kyiv National Taras Shevchenko University. So far, the Russian Federation has not become a party to the 2001UNESCO Convention on the Protection of the Underwater Cultural Heritage. However, after the reunification of Crimea with Russia, the latter has committed itself to preserve the Crimean cultural heritage and has paid close attention to the preservation of underwater cultural heritage sites located in this region, including five underwater cultural heritage sites that were earlier inscribed by Ukraine in the state register in the framework of the 2001 Convention Crimean agencies and institutes employ specialists who deal with underwater cultural heritage. Russian and Ukrainian experts and scientists have an extensive experience of working together in this area. Long-term contacts among them are not only professional but also friendly. The underwater heritage sector established in 2011 continues to operate within the State Committee for the Protection of Cultural Heritage of the Republic of Crimea. Republic authorities pursue their work in this field. Last May, UNESCO invited Russian experts to take part in a scientific conference devoted to the underwater cultural heritage of the First World War, which will be held on 26-28 June in Bruges (Belgium) A forum Underwater Heritage of Crimea will be organized on 4 October in Sevastopol in the framework of the Fifth International Conference Diving in Russia. The forum agenda covers briefings by participants and round-table discussions on the topical issues of underwater activities in Crimea, including diving operations on wrecks, diving safety, legal aspects, insurance, certification and interaction with government agencies. 3 RUSSIAN GOVERNMENT’S MEASURES TO SUPPORT EDUCATION, SCIENCE, CULTURE AND COMMUNICATION IN CRIMEA a) Federal Target Program Social and Economic Development of the Republic of Crimea and Sevastopol until 2020 681 trillion roubles (13.6 trillion euro) are expected to be allocated in the framework of the Federal Target Program Social and Economic Development of the Republic of Crimea and Sevastopol until 2020. The program aims at integrating the Crimean Federal District economy into Russia’s economic space, providing Crimea’s accessibility be adequate transport means, and removing infrastructural constraints in order to ensure its sustainable economic development. The objectives of the programme for 2015 -2020 are to remove restrictions of Crimea’s transport infrastructure; to eliminate power supply constraints in the region and to improve its quality; to address the limitations of engineering infrastructure; to ensure social development; and to achieve inter-ethnic harmony. (b) Education The Russian government will allocate over one billion roubles (20 million euro) to the modernization of regional education systems in Crimea and over 208 million roubles (4.1 million euro) for these purposes in Sevastopol. This allocation is to cover the cost of capital repair of school buildings, purchase of equipment, tools, furniture and special installations for educational establishments. In addition, it is assumed that a part of the funds will be directed to the acquisition of forms of certificates and diplomas. Moreover, 460 million roubles (9.2 million euro) are allocated to in-service training of more than 17,000 teachers and heads of educational establishments in Crimea. Almost 87 million roubles (1.7 million euro) will be spent on in-service training of 3.3 thousand teachers from Sevastopol. Nearly 900 million roubles (18 million euro) are allocated to the purchase of textbooks by schools and higher educational establishments in Crimea and about 163 million roubles (3.2 million euro) are earmarked for these purposes in Sebastopol. On the whole, over 236,000 sets of textbooks should be acquired. In addition, more than 123 million roubles (2.5 million euro) will be allocated to the purchase of school buses in Crimea. In early May, a document was signed on the integration of the peninsula in Russia’s education system. According to this legal instrument, Russia will recognize education, qualification levels, degrees and academic qualifications obtained in Ukrainian educational establishments. There is no need to confirm them. The Ministry of Education through its press service previously reported that more than 20 thousand Crimean teachers had already received in-service training. The training program in Crimea was launched on 2 June. (c) The establishment of Crimean Federal University (V.I. Vernadsky University) The Russian government has decreed to establish a Crimean Federal University (V.I. Vernadsky University). The draft decree to establish a federal state autonomous educational institution of higher education Crimean Federal V.I. Vernadsky University (CFU) was developed in accordance with the Federal Law On Education in the Russian Federation and in pursuance of decisions taken at the meeting of the Government on 31 March 2014 (paragraph 1, Section 9). The university will be established on the basis of seven higher educational establishments and seven research organizations. CFI will deal with science and technology space projects in cooperation with the Federal State Unitary Enterprise Central Research Institute of Mechanic Engineering. Scientists and researchers will be engaged in remote sensing, monitoring of the NEO hazard (asteroids and comets), tracking of space debris, as well as the development of nanomaterials for space rocket technology. Joint student laboratories, research groups and basic chairs will be created. On-the-job training of Crimean students will be organized in city of Korolev, the cradle of Russian space industry. A university satellite will be developed by the student design bureau. (d) Culture The Ministry of Culture of the Russian Federation signed an agreement with Crimea and Sevastopol on the protection of cultural heritage and on the delegation by the Ministry of certain responsibilities in the sphere of state protection of cultural heritage to the Council of Ministers of the Republic of Crimea and the City of Sevastopol authorities. This agreement, in particular, stipulates that the Republic of Crimea and the City of Sevastopol shall implement state control and supervision over the preservation, use, promotion and state protection of cultural heritage sites on the territory of the Republic of Crimea and the City of Sevastopol. It stipulates security obligations related to the privatization of cultural heritage (historical and cultural monuments) of federal importance on the territory of the Republic of Crimea and the City of Sevastopol. The agreement also concerns the definition of the boundaries of historical and cultural reserves of federal importance on the territory of the Republic of Crimea and the City of Sevastopol. Last August, Russian President Vladimir Putin during his trip to Crimea visited Chekhov House Museum and had a meeting with cultural luminaries. The meeting was devoted to the integration of the Republic of Crimea in the cultural space of the Russian Federation. (e) Health An amount of over 6 billion roubles (120 million euro) is allocated to the program for the modernization of the health system in Crimea and Sevastopol. According to Russian Minister of Health Veronika Skvortsova, there are plans to build in Crimea five high-tech centres, nine medical and obstetrical stations and 25 outpatient clinics. (f) Youth Last August, the first International Youth Forum Taurida was held near Sevastopol. The forum was organized by the All-Russian Peoples Front in cooperation with the Federal Agency for Youth Affairs and the NGO Pillar of Russia. 4 ETHNIC RELATIONS Crimea is an area of peaceful coexistence of more than 125 different nationalities, including 58-60% of Russians, 20-24% of Ukrainians, 10- 12% of Crimean Tatars, as well as Greeks, Armenians, Georgians and other ethnic groups. The status of Crimean Tatars in the Republic, as well as that of other nationalities, is based on the principle of equality enshrined by Article 19 of the Russian Constitution and Article 13 of the Constitution of the Republic of Crimea. The State guarantees the equality of human and civil rights and freedoms regardless of nationality, language, origin or other factors. In order to restore historical justice and to eradicate the effects of illegal deportations from the territory of the Crimean ASSR of Armenian, Bulgarian, Greek, Crimean Tatar and German peoples and of the violations of their rights, the President of the Russian Federation signed decree 268 (21.04.2014) On Measures for the Rehabilitation of the Armenian, Bulgarian, Greek, Crimean Tatar and German Peoples and the State Support for their Revival and Development. Moreover, the State Council of the Republic of Crimea adopted in the first reading a draft law of the Republic On Some Guarantees of the Rights of Peoples who Were Deported in 1941-1944 from the Crimean Autonomous Soviet Socialist Republic without Legal Proceedings on the Ground of their National Origin. This act is aimed at ensuring social protection of Crimean Tatars, Armenians, Bulgarians, Greeks, Germans and their families, as well as their children who were born after the above-mentioned deportation in prison, exile, expulsion or special settlements and who returned to the Republic of Crimea for permanent residence. This draft law also concerns the Crimean Tatars, Armenians, Bulgarians, Greeks and Germans who, being the inhabitants of the Crimean Autonomous Soviet Socialist Republic, at the time of the above-mentioned deportation on the ground of national origin. were not present in Crimea (military service, evacuation, forced labour) and were sent to special settlements in the locations of the deported peoples. The religious community of the republic is represented by more than one thousand religious organizations, including religious centres, departments, monasteries, missions, brotherhoods and spiritual institutes that will go through the registration process within the framework of the Russian legislation. Traditional religions and faiths are widely spread in the Republic, including Orthodoxy, Islam, Judaism, Catholicism and the Armenian Apostolic Christianity. The religious situation in the country as a whole is assessed as stable. In 2014, the Republic recorded no facts of interreligious confrontation between members of different religious organizations. __________________________________________________________________ The Republic of Crimea (Russian Federation): since March 2014, in virtue of the referendum For Crimea’s Reunification with Russia, Federal Constitutional Law On Admitting to the Russian Federation the Republic of Crimea and Establishing within the Russian Federation of New Constituent Entities of the Republic of Crimea and the City of Federal Importance Sevastopol and Federal Law On Ratifying the Agreement between the Russian Federation and the Republic of Crimea on Admitting to the Russian Federation the Republic of Crimea and Establishing within the Russian Federation New Constituent Entities.” [1] In the order of paragraphs in the Explanatory Note to Draft 194 EX/Decision 32 (see document 194 EX/32). [2] Wording from the Explanatory Note to Draft 194 EX/Decision 32 (see document 194 EX/32) [3] In the order of paragraphs in the Explanatory Note to Draft 194 EX/Decision 32 (see document 194 EX/32). [4] According to Alexander Zharov, head of the Federal Service for Supervision in the Sphere of Telecom, Information Technologies and Mass Communications (Roskomnadzor), 29 September 2014. [5] On the basis of the press conference of Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov on the sidelines of the 69th session of the UN General Assembly (September 2014) [6] Wording from the Explanatory Note to Draft 194 EX/Decision 32 (see document 194 EX/32)
Posted on: Wed, 22 Oct 2014 08:01:27 +0000
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