Activists of pro-Russian NGO “Great Brotherhood Without Borders” that is united former servicemen, veterans of Afghanistan peacemakers intend to build the Orthodox chapel within sanitary zone of burial place of former Nazi concentration camp in former state farm Krasnyi. At the same time, intention of the Crimean Tatar community to construct a mosque here is considered as illegal one.

An initiative for construction of a chapel is supported by paramilitary so-called "Crimean Cossack units”, Russian-speaking community of village Saraylı-Qıyat (Myrne), Crimean Union of Nazi’s victims as well as Tavrian Union. As reported earlier, local Russian-speakers and activists of these pro-Russian NGOs had held a meeting on place of future construction on May 9, on Victory Day, and established Orthodox cross there with the blessing of the Metropolitan of Simferopil and Crimea Lazar. With that, Metropolitan Lazar approves personally a construction of chapel and he wishes that a construction will be started in the near future.

A question has occurred: why does not construction of the Orthodox chapel arouse any objections of the rayon or republican leaderships? Nevertheless, it is sanitary zone within that about 5 thousand victims of Nazis were buried. Just this reason is the cardinal one of pro-Russian activists who oppose to construction of a mosque. Moreover, among of the Nazis’ victims were many Crimean Moslems and Jews. At one time, Crimean Vice-Premier, head of the interdepartmental commission for perpetuation of war victims Eduard Hryvkovskyi together with well-known was archaeologist, head of the charitable foundation Pivden (South) came to Saraylı-Qıyat to establish this fact.

“We are outraged by this fact. Why our people (Crimean Tatar people – ed.) is prohibited to construct religious buildings on the ground of “sanitary zone”, at the same time, Orthodox chapel can be built on this place. This is downright unfairness and provocation. We think we could build there both Orthodox temple and mosque at least” – deputy head of the NGO Avdet Nariman Potel stated in his interview with QHA.

It should be noted that website "Krymske vidlunnya" informed recently that Mykhailo Makyeyev, deputy of Aqmescit (Simferopil) rayon council and member of NGO Great Brotherhood Without Borders’s Board told their NGO got many appeals with request to construct a chapel on the territory of the memorial for long time. According to him, they plan to begin a construction of a chapel this year.

By QHA