KIEV, April 28 – The Mejlis, the self-governing body of the Crimean Tatars, and the Kurultai (the national assembly), fearing moves against them by Russian authorities, have been operating in emergency mode this month, the head of the body said.

"As soon as a threat of the Mejlis could be banned and declared an extremist organization, Mejlis members made the relevant decisions that were to take force from the moment when this illicit decision was made by the Russian occupation court. On February 19 Mejlis members made a decision on the emergency regime of the operation of Kurultai delegates, Mejlis and its members and other authorities in the self-government system of the Crimean Tatars if invincible obstacles for their free operation appear on the territory of Crimea," Refat Chubarov, an MP in the Mejlis and head of the body, said at a briefing in Kiev.