A PERFECT EXAMPLE OF HOW HUMAN RIGHTS ARE OBSERVED IN UKRAINE
The conflict surrounding illegal construction in Simferopol takes radical forms?

A long story about a construction project in a "protected" green zone in Simferopol and general illegal construction far exceeds simple municipal or even all-Crimean contexts. From time to time, one or another of struggling sides attempts to find a solution to the conflict. But right now, things are right back to where they started...

On the 6th of August 2003, a construction firm called "Professional" began fencing around a protected green zone on the Small Salgir river bank in the public park in Simferopol. Despite numerous breaches of law (the city planners designate public green spaces for recreational and public use only), an executive committee and town counsel session marked out this territory for construction, claiming falsely that the area did not constitute a public green space. It is interesting that these officials made such a mistake despite examining the town plan, somehow not seeing the graveled paths, perennial plants and even old lamp posts and watering systems already in place there. For some reason no one, other than the elected representatives of the people, who make the majority in town counsel, had such a lack of "foresight". That kind of lack of foresight is known all over the world as simple corruption.

People living in the Micro-region surrounding the construction site lodged nine complaints into court against these illegal decisions. According to Ukrainian law, when such complaints are lodged all activities must halt pending a judgment by the courts. In other words, it was illegal for the construction company to even begin the project! Sadly, this is an example of how human rights are observed in Crimea and in Ukraine as a whole!

People protesting against building in the park created a tent encamped on the territory of illegal construction site and successfully blocked off traffic for the construction equipment. The people taking actions into their own hands was the only way to halt the construction. The protesters were supported by ecologists and later - by more than 20 different organizations and even opposing political parties and public organizations.

Several times the situation became such strained, bringing both sides to the brink of possible unlawful conflict.

Citizens - the people of Simferopol - starting in December 2002 appealed to local, Crimean and Ukrainian authorities with letters expressing their disagreement with plans to build tenement-housing in the public green space on the bank of the Small Salgir river, because this building would effect access to recreation, and the living conditions of those bordering the green zone. Responses were limited and didn't include any comment regarding the legal transgressions of the construction firm and their contractors, or even directly address the opinions of the local citizenry.

Appeals were then sent to the President of Ukraine, to the Chief of the Coordination Committee for Fighting Corruption and Organized Crime by the President of Ukraine, to the Crimean Council of Ministers , and to the Chief Public Prosecutor of Ukraine. In the whole all responses were nothing except of situation fixation. We can conclude that the Crimean Office of Public Prosecutor (just like the Simferopol Office of Public Prosecutor) distanced himself from the problem and its obvious solution..

The first hearing to address the conflict was set for the 9th of September. Unfortunately, it has since been postponed to the 19th of September.

Our prognosis as for solving the problem: There is a high possibility that after a legal investigation into the conflict the situation will become highly strained. Creation of the commission for investigation of the situation with ground area detachment in public green spaces in Simferopol at the level of Crimean Supreme Soviet could become a perspective method of problem solving. Additionally, the work of a Deputies Commission of Ukrainian Supreme Soviet in the Crimea could assist in solving the backlog of problems in the field of land relations in the Crimean capital.

CRA "Ecologiya i Mir"