It is sacrilegious to pay for Black Sea Fleet deployment – Leonid Grach

18.08.2010 To pay money for Black Sea Fleet deployment in Sevastopol which is historically Russian naval base is sacrilegious deed. The Kremlin has to pay, but that's a very weak basis for Russian-Ukrainian friendship. One should also remember that nobody has canceled all Yushchenko's restrictions for BSF activities.

That was said today by Leonid Grach, leader of Crimean branch of Ukrainian Communist Party at the press conference in Simferopol, answering the question whether it is normal that Russia pays big money to Ukraine for Black Sea Fleet deployment in Sevastopol.

"Our position is absolutely clear – Crimea, Sevastopol, and Black Sea Fleet are inseparable", said the politician. Along with Sevastopol we have conducted a colossal campaign to collect signatures for unlimited stay of BSF in Crimea. 2.5 mln people put their signatures for that when even Russian administration held a half-way position. They started to build new naval base in Novorossiysk and so on. To us, our campaign became a break point after which Russian leaders took a principled position".

"Speaking of money, beggar Ukraine could borrow… That's my point of view. To pay money for sacred things of our unity – Black Sea Fleet stay – is sacrilegious deed, I guess. Russia has to pay, but Ukraine should not take the money. Once you led your economy to nothing, you'd better borrow money from Russia, take foreign credits, and so forth. The friendship can not be based on such relations".

"And the last problem. Things seem to fall right into place – the Kharkov agreements are ratified, that's well and good. But all Yushchenko's restrictions for BSF remain in action", laid an emphasis on the last word the leader of Crimean communists.

"Here is the greatest issue. So what, Russia has to pay money again to cancel those restrictions?", concluded Grach.