Valentina Matvienko not laurels of Herostratus. Madam, conducting a meeting of the Federation Council, which adopted the criminal decision to permit the President of Russia to deploy troops in a foreign country, now decided to run past. The upper house of the Russian Parliament had intended to rewrite history, "abolishing" the decision of the Politburo of the CPSU Central Committee and the Supreme Soviet of the USSR on the transfer of the Crimean oblast of the RSFSR to the Ukrainian SSR.
Such a spiritual session can only cause confusion. Of course, none of us doubts that all important and even very important decisions in the Soviet Union was taken on the Politburo, and then obtained in accordance with the then law. That's what happened in the case of Crimea: the meeting of the Presidium of Supreme Soviet of the RSFSR and the Ukrainian SSR, request, consent, at last session of the Supreme Soviet of the RSFSR, which is in full compliance with the then legislation has changed the Constitution of the RSFSR and of article 14 were excluded Crimean oblast and Sevastopol - constitutional majority, by the way.
But it is clear that all of this legal fiction, because of the RSFSR and the Ukrainian SSR in any of these States were not and the Supreme Council of the RSFSR could the constitutional majority, even Moscow from Russia to exclude, and the Supreme Soviet of the USSR to abandon native Ukrainian lands - that he, by the way, not once did. And in 1954 was also done when approved the transfer of Russia Taganrog with the surrounding fertile land in exchange for lifeless Crimea. What this meant in the years of famine - and then in the USSR was still the post-war famine will understand any.
This legal sense have only agreement between independent States, which Russia and Ukraine began in 1991. And here we will see how Russia is not one or two times and in international instruments, and in bilateral agreements is recognized the territorial integrity of Ukraine without any conditions or reservations. So no sense - except the stupid propaganda - the decision of the Council of the Federation, if it takes place, will not have.
But I wish it took place. And here's why. Thanks to the Crimea will create a legal precedent that will allow much more attentive to the territory of the Russian Federation. One of the obtained Council Federation Igor Morozov argues that the decision of the Soviet authorities was carried out without a referendum, which allegedly provided by the Constitution of the USSR. This is not true. According to the Constitution of the USSR of 1936 (article 14) it is the Supreme Soviet of the USSR had the right to approve the alteration of the boundaries between Union republics had been delegated such authority.
But let the Federation Council will take the appropriate law. And then we'll have the full right to ask - but the vast territories of Ukraine and Belarus, which were rejected by the Soviet authorities in favor of Russia, was held referendums? Except in Taganrog was held a referendum? Except in Vyborg when he was outcast from the Federal Republic - the Karelian-Finnish SSR and transferred to the Russian - held referendum? Except in the Karelo-Finnish SSR - when she was converted in the Karelian ASSR and submitted to the RSFSR - conducted referendum? But at the time of liquidation KF SSR nothing from the RSFSR on the constitutional status was no different!
Except in Pytalovo district of Latvia or in Ivangorod area of Estonia, which a few years later after the occupation of these countries by the Soviet Union were transferred to the RSFSR, was held referendums? "Not Pytalovo district they receive, and from the dead donkey ears!" - it's not what I said, this comrade Putin said. So what is it, Mr President, if we are talking about the territory, which was in violation of all conceivable laws annexed to Russia, it is from a dead donkey's ears, and when Russia something annexes donkey suddenly comes to life and becomes a member of the Federation Council? Pretty thing!
What about the Tuvan people's Republic? The territory of the independent state, with which the USSR established diplomatic relations, was annexed to the USSR without any referendum - as Autonomous region! And nothing, conscience isn't bothering you?
So let vote, repeal, let them prove the wickedness of decisions that led to the infringement of the rights of millions of people. Positions of Russia in the Crimea, this would not increase. And those Russians who think about the future of their regions and the eligibility of their stay in the Russian Federation - will help, as it will create a new legal framework.
And it is possible that future territorial division of the Russian historians ever refer to "Crimea".
Vitaly Portnikov, Kyiv journalist, columnist, Crimea.
