Among those (around 50%) who believe that the federal government wants to help resolve Crimean Tatars' problems, 85% evaluate the situation in Crimea as generally positive, the head of the federal agency, Igor Barinov, has reported.
Crimean Tatars currently make up 13% of the peninsula's population. According to the survey, 70% of them have successfully adapted to life in Russia.
Barinov also drew attention to the fact that ethno-religious issues in Crimea are being closely attended to by authorities at all levels. "I'll emphasize that the situation in Crimea among the Crimean Tatar population is far from simple, and we are not inclined towards idealizing anything, but we are working so that people can feel real changes for the better," Barinov explained.
According to the survey data, the socio-economic situation of the Crimean Tatar population has in fact markedly improved. 75% of respondents are satisfied to one degree or another with their life, while 48% say that their material situation is stable. Overall, 30% of respondents have noted an improvement in life conditions.
"Analyzing the problems that Crimean Tatars face has shown that they overall do not differ much from the problems faced by the residents of other regions. Relevant issues include the acquiring of compensation for families who suffered from repression. Many socio-economic mechanisms are not yet working at full capacity. And for them to be fully working, time is needed," Barinov clarified.
Three years following Crimea's reunification with Russia, now almost half of Crimean Tatars - 46% - have begun feeling like citizens of the Russian Federation. Only 7% of respondents consider themselves citizens of Ukraine. In addition, 43% stated that the US and European countries were wrong in not recognizing Crimea's joining Russia.
The majority of Crimean Tatars, 61%, do not approve of Ukraine's policy towards Crimea, and support for Kiev was expressed by only 13% of respondents. Only 2% actually count on help from the Ukrainian government.
Barinov commented on these figures: "One of the factors behind negative attitudes towards Ukraine is the food and energy blockade organized by Ukrainian politicians. 71% view this negatively, 45% of whom are convinced that Ukraine wants to make things worse for Russia, and thereby harm Crimean Tatars.
Also according to the survey, the political participation of Crimean Tatars has risen. Only 17-24% of Crimean Tatars voted in the referendum on Crimea's joining Russia, but in the recent elections to the State Duma, 42% voted.
This might be in part due to the fact that Crimean Tatars, as the survey reveals, do not feel discriminated. Barinov commented: "I want to take note of the fact that 81% do not feel inter-ethnic tensions, and even more, 89%, have not experienced any hostility over religious beliefs. These figures allow us to look at the further development of the situation with optimism."....
This sociological study was conducted in 65 towns of 12 municipal districts and nine urban districts of Crimea. One thousand Crimean Tatars were polled and replied to the survey questions in their native language and in Russian.
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