Chairman of Dnipropetrovsk Regional Administration Ihor Kolomoisky and Ukrainian MP (the Batkivschyna parliamentary faction) and former leader of the Mejlis (parliament) of the Crimean Tatar People Mustafa Jemilev (Cemilev) on Tuesday signed a memorandum of cooperation to develop relations, strengthen friendship and respect between Crimean Tatars and residents of Dnipropetrovsk region.

"The memorandum we've signed today is about one-side assistance to be provided by Dnipropetrovsk region to the residents of Crimea. The document is quite comprehensive, it covers very important aspects, including accommodation of refugees, their education. Griefs bring people closer. We're very glad to have signed an agreement with the person who has managed to resist that occupation regime that has come to our country. I hope that the document will yield good results," Jemilev told reporters.

In keeping with the memorandum, the sides undertook to observe the rights of Crimean Tatars and national minorities on the territory of Dnipropetrovsk region, namely through providing broad opportunities for participation in the process of cultural enrichment by developing modern art and preserving cultural heritage of their own and other peoples.

Dnipropetrovsk region's authorities also undertook to create conditions for an interethnic and intercultural dialogue between Crimean Tatars and representatives of all nationalities in Dnipropetrovsk region.

The memorandum says that the region will support Crimean Tatars as an indigenous people of the Crimean peninsula in the struggle for the return of the Autonomous Republic of Crimea into the sovereign and independent Ukrainian state, as well as provide comprehensive aid under current legislation to families who have moved from Crimea and the city of Sevastopol to live in Dnipropetrovsk region.

Dnipropetrovsk region will also contribute to the protection and realization of Crimean Tatars' inalienable right to self-determination within a sovereign and independent Ukraine, namely in Dnipropetrovsk region. The local authorities also pledged to support and promote the development of economic, political, social, informational, cultural and other ties with Ukrainian citizens who reside on the temporarily occupied territories, namely in Crimea.

Answering a question from reporters whether there were requests from Crimean Tatars to allocate plots of land in Dnipropetrovsk region for settlement, Kolomoisky said he hadn't received any request, however, the regional administration is ready to consider it.