Acting culture minister: Ukraine has to legally protect monuments in Crimea from invaders

The Verkhovna Rada must urgently ratify a document aimed at protecting cultural heritage, which should, in particular, prevent the destruction of the Tauric Chersonese by the invaders in Crimea.

 “Ukraine has to ratify the Second Protocol to the Hague Convention of 1954 for the Protection of Cultural Property in the Event of Armed Conflict. It has been already submitted to the Verkhovna Rada. It is a protocol of direct action, so it does not require any additional amendments to our legislation. First and foremost, it concerns the preservation of our heritage in the occupied territories. And since the occupation of our territories is ongoing, it takes effect immediately,” Acting Minister of Culture and Information Policy Svitlana Fomenko said in an interview with Ukrinform.

She explained that at the same time a clear mechanism for protection of the heritage in the occupied territory would activate immediately and the militarization –this is actually happening in Crimea – of such a territory would be prohibited.

“For example, a firing range is being constructed in the buffer zone of the Tauric Chersonese, which is a site on the UNESCO World heritage List. The Protocol obliges an occupying power to preserve the heritage, stating that we can apply special protection mechanisms for individual monuments and apply these mechanisms in the international arena. The Protocol specifies the responsibility for damage, destruction, illegal excavations, moving our cultural values out from the occupied territory,” the minister said.

Fomenko also added that the open letters about the permits for excavations in Crimea were published on the website of the Ministry of Culture of the Russian Federation.

“In fact, these documents give the right to excavate our archeological sites. The documents show how actively and where exactly the invaders ‘are digging’ all over Crimea. Therefore, with the ratification of the Protocol, we will have strong arguments and legitimate levers to defend our stance with the help of international law,” the acting culture minister emphasized.

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