The Kiev Times /March 2013/

TRUE STORY ABOUT CHERNOBYL

TELL ME WHAT YOU EAT AND I’LL TELL YOU WHAT YOU ARE

SPRING EXACERBATION: TO UNDERSTAND AND TO FORGIVE

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International information and analytical edition | Ukraine | The Kiev Times | March 2013

RUSSIAN-UKRAINIAN RELATIONS IN 2013

For the Russian Federation the relationships with Ukraine traditionally refer to the most important and significant among all intergovernmental relations.

Meanwhile these relationships have never been simple but rather complicated and sometimes inconsistent.

It can be said with a fair degree of certainty that in 2013 RussianUkrainian relations shall become one of the priorities of foreign policies of Ukraine and Russia.

On this basis it’s possible to identify the main problem blocks of bilateral relations and try to disclose the Russian authority’s position concerning the key aspects.

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KARL-GEORG WELLMAN (CDU): «FOREIGN STATES MASTN’T INTERFERE IN UKRAINIAN JUSTICE…»

MYTHS AND TRUTH ABOUT SHALE GAS

Every time when democratic world stops to communicate with Ukraine, it makes something requiring at least wide public discussion. Last year Ukraine got rid of Ukrainian nuclear potential remains in exchange for USA loyalty, and in new year it farmed two regions (Donetsk and Kharkov) out to Shell, which is going to produce shale gas, in exchange for investments and possibility to reduce energetic dependence from the Kremlin.

The signing of contracts in Davos itself was really spectacular. But it is difficult to share gladness of authority,

and not only because this gladness often has nothing in common with the state’s welfare, but first of all because Ukrainian people still don’t understand what exactly the authority has signed – text of the agreement hasn’t been published yet.

The fact that agreement with Shell still isn’t a subject of heated discussions looks quite strange because shale gas production is connected with a series of poorly predictable ecological risks. And ecological risks logically arouse possible social protests and even (as it happened

SERGEY TATUSYAK: DEPUTIES OF THE VERKHOVNAYA RADA NEED TO LEARN AT THEIR COLLEAGUES FROM LOCAL COUNCILS We’ve met with the chairman of Vinnitsa regional council Sergey Tatusyak during one of his official visits to the capital to talk about creation of the Euroregion «Dniester», reformation of the local self-government and advantage of international grants for the local budgets. An exclusive interview.

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Only independent justice that isn’t liable to any politician and any political influences can finish cases of Timoshenko. Foreign states mustn’t interfere in Ukrainian justice without knowing your laws. One wise man said that the minimum of morality is the law where decision is made by independent justice.

In the middle of January 2013 Pakistan was the center of events that remained without proper assessment in mass media. However they have all features of new «color revolution» and all necessary preconditions for transformation into the new local conflict. And for the first time – on the territory of the nuclear state.

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The director general of «Mystetsky Arsenal» Natalia Zabolotnaya exclusively for The Kiev Times has told about new Ukrainian names on the world’s artscene, about life of «Mystetsky Arsenal», and about course of preparation to the main cultural events of the country in 2013 and 2014.

We’re already preparing to the second

have already made a decision and registered carte blanche for boring, are trying to rush this decision through all bureaucratic procedures as quick and quiet as possible.

In controllable Donetsk and Kharkov everything has happened almost this way. Almost, if not to take into account the procedure failure that in the sequel can become the Achilles’ heel of the entire shale project.

EUROPEAN NATIONALISM IS DEAD, AND THAT’S NOT OUR HEADACHE

PAKISTAN: ANOTHER «COLOR REVOLUTION» REPETITION

NATALIA ZABOLOTNAYA: WE FIGURE ON A MIRACLE PREPARING ARSENALE 2014!

in Lvov region by forces of «Svoboda») disobedience of local councils deputies with their theatrical attempts to block strategically important solutions for president.

In spite of the fact that shale campaign importance can scarcely be overestimated, social discussion as regards this has started only after Davos signing and often bears irrational character. Although according to the Ukrainian constitution land and subsoil are our common property, the impression is that top-officials, who

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biennale, which will take place in autumn 2014. We conduct active dialogue with potential curators. For the present I won’t reveal all cards.

But I wish to say that they are world famous professionals in their spheres and have considerable weight in the artistic environment. Topically we wish to concentrate on the history of Ukraine as the crossroads of western and eastern traditions, and expositionally go beyond the limits of «Arsenal» halls to the urbanistic city space, on the one hand, and on the other hand, as the last time, make a parallel program with participation of art institutions of Ukraine.

Ukrainian ethno-cultural conflict and talks about separation have nothing in common with racism and money of white Europe. Unitarity of the Ukrainian state is consolidated by the Constitution. But in fact it always had the element of federalism in the form of Crimean Autonomous Republic.

Through the prism of cultural war that invisible continues in the informational space you can be «true» or «false» Ukrainian only by choosing definite cultural-historical construction for yourself. And the problem of this choice with radical nationalists’

coming in government has extremely worsened. To be more precise, it entered the plane of power methods of «upbringing» of millions of people in the center and southeast of Ukraine.

Since these millions take the world from position of different cultural tradition, they are actively imposed by the complex of cultural inferiority multiplied by propaganda of «postcolonial» tradition neglected by much more serious organization.

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Ukrainian population turns into Bandar-logs – fussy crowd that readily heeds hypnotic speeches of «senior brothers in mind» and accepts them as a guide for action. The matter isn’t about followers of Bandera ideas, although names are consonant to each other. The matter is about technologies, which under plausible pretexts turn the whole nations into obedient biomass.

These technologies were born in times of two different socio-economic systems’ confrontation. In those days our opponents realized that it was impossible to overpower us with the direct armed aggression. It was necessary to seek for alternative and «non-violent» methods of cordons opening, territories occupation, resources seizure and establishment of control over states and nations.

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DMITRY VYDRIN: SPRING HAS WON: THE POLITICAL CROP ROTATION IN UKRAINE

From a bird’s-eye view our Maydan looks like a mealie. Everything is joined into compact battered lump around warlords and finance managers.

But individually, on the upland we can see the management, speakers, and DJ’s. Maydan has already evolved and established itself like a sanctuary, the sacral sanctuary, where there are rather initiation, sacralisation, invocation, and shamanistic rituals happen than discussion, debating or creativity.

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PUNCHES IN THE FACE OF KIEV The process of chaotic building (in other words, destruction of Kiev historical identity) of course hasn’t begun yesterday. And speaking by words of writer Michael Bulgakov, «all what happened in the famous city during this period can’t be described». But last year and the beginning of the current one have become literally an apogee of opposition between the community and that force, united by invisible threads, that controls land distribution, projects coordination, and objects erection (moreover, all this is happening with direct and unpunished breach of current prohibitions).

ANATOLY TOLSTOUKHOV: NOTIONS GAMES OR BITTER LESSONS OF LIBERTY Liberty... For Ukraine it was a dream, a sound, and phantom until it was written from a capital letter and quoted («Svoboda», - ed.). Exaggeration – yes.

Deception – indeed. But immediately when it happened, it received look, found its tongue, its fingers itched, and feet stamped.

WHAT DO STRUGGLE FOR NATURE, ONLINE EDUCATION AND «ARAB SPRING» HAVE IN COMMON?

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POLITICS

THE KIEV TIMES | MARCH, 2013

SPRING HAS WON: THE POLITICAL CROP ROTATION IN UKRAINE Crop rotation is a scientifically grounded alternation of agricultural crops and vapors in time and on the territory or only in time / «Wikipedia» Political crop rotation is a scientifically ungrounded alternation of political subcultures and parties in time and on the territory or only in time / D. Vydrin Dmitry Vyrdin

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hen somebody embrangles me or I don’t understand something, I try to find anecdote on a subject, which shall uncover the essence of events for me. The matter is that anecdotes are matrixes, stable archetypes of the human being that disclose organic, natural, and deep reasons of any human activity (even the political one).

That’s why, when UDAR in Ukraine headed by famous boxer Vitaliy Klichko started seemingly for no reason to block platform in the parliament (for no reason because what they required is provided in the Constitution), I began to look for an anecdote, which would clear the situation.

I remembered the following one.

Armenian radio was asked: «Can two handsome men be friends selflessly, platonically and for a long time?». Armenian radio melancholically replied: «Yes, they can, but not for a long time – sooner or later nature will assert its rights».

This anecdote’s brilliance lies in the fact that, as a rule, any event has deep and stable nature of origin of people and organizations that take part in this event.

Ukrainian opposition has three main political forces. I can understand nature of two of them.

For example, the nature of «Batkivschina» party takes its roots to Maydan. This is the Maydan that undoubtedly became the cradle of this party and its passionate leader. Maydan has already put the discourse and stylistics of this political force – high (often even off-scaled) pathos of rhetoric, solidity of rows, strict hierarchy and separation from the party hierarchy and status.

When, for example, you look via Google on Tahrir square from a bird’s-eye view, it looks like area strewed with papaverous seeds: there are a lot of people but they are separately from each other, individually, and the leaders are indistinguishable from ordinary participants. From a bird’s-eye view our

That’s why «Svoboda» so sharply reacts any fences and obstructions.

For them this is an encroaching upon boundlessness of their organic-political space, upon their values of street democracy restricted only by the street’s morals but not by ephemeral and chimerical laws of jurisprudence and state.

Possibly, that’s why the represen-

ters. Then I measured the height of the presidium with the help of a match and again was pleasantly shocked: equally 0,6 meters (the same as the classic boxing ring).

Obviously, this similarity has finally worked. UDAR party has found its political force – henceforth this will be blocked presidium of the parliament. I was personally admired how quickly Vitaliy and his team started to introduce stylistics of its nature under the dome of the parliament.

Particularly, the first element has become change of cloths of all UDAR deputies who blocked the hall into red sport T-shirts. Possibly, Vitaliy as an experienced and careful promoter understands that it will be too provocative to let the deputies in the presidium in red boxer shorts. That’s why he wisely chose insinuating and gradual way: first block – red T-shirts, second block – red trousers, and the third one – red trunks.

The same is with the presidium’s reconstruction. The ropes around it aren’t pulled on yet; they use only fences of chairs. But this is the matter of time.

I specially watched technology of domestic arrangement of boxing rings.

And pleasantly found out that our rings excel the foreign ones by a series of features. For example, if foreign are installed with the help of rigid bolts,

UDAR party has found its political force – henceforth this will be blocked presidium of the parliament

Maydan looks like a mealie. Everything is joined into compact battered lump around warlords and finance managers. But individually, on the upland we can see the management, speakers, and DJ’s. Maydan has already evolved and established itself like a sanctuary, the sacral sanctuary, where there are rather initiation, sacralisation, invocation, and shamanistic rituals happen than discussion, debating or creativity.

Correspondingly the political force that was born here by its nature is a «storehouse» of Maydan values. Its task is rather not participation in the real

ments. The nature of «Svoboda» is undoubtedly also clear. This is a strictly street party with all consequences. Irrepressible spirit and the essence of «Svoboda» most of all are evident in street torchlight processions, protest marches or simply running about streets and alleys. And the purpose isn’t always important – this can be simple pursuit of Lenin monuments or the workers of the mayor’s office, or policemen on point duty.

The main thing is to feel familiar pavement under your feet. The main thing is to have endless horizon of

The nature of «Batkivschina» party takes its roots to the Maydan.

This is the Maydan that undoubtedly became the cradle of this party and its passionate leader politics, but constant confirmation of its priority right for the main opposition brand, protection of the main priests as well as Maydan myths and command-

street crossings, turns, and forking in your eyes. The main thing is to feel familiar street friends and leaders with your elbows.

tatives of «Svoboda» weren’t invited to inauguration of president Obama.

Weak openwork fence on Pennsylvania Avenue around the White House would undoubtedly provoke them stronger than the red flag for Spanish bull. Our dashing representatives of «Svoboda» would saw down the fence of the White House quicker then forgotten cast-iron constructions of fences around the Verkhovnaya Rada…

In short, the ground nature of the mentioned political forces was clear but the question about the nature of new party UDAR of the famous boxer Vitaliy Klichko appeared.

Intuitively I supposed that the roots of this nature originate (and go to) not from Maydan and the street but rather to the boxing ring. Just imagine, I have guessed right!

Once in my youth I was on a boxing ring. Much later as a people’s deputy I managed to attend presidium of the parliament (several weeks I was blocking the presidium and neighboring premises on board of «special unit» of my political force). Then for long nights to while away the time I measured the presidium by my precise steps holding candle in one hand and weighty sausage in the other hand. I was shocked – the dimension of the presidium of the Ukrainian Verkhovnaya Rada absolutely coincided with dimension of ring of the Olympic format: equally 6 to 6 me-

our rings are installed according to axis-hub principle. And this was demonstrated by the leader of UDAR party – he knows how to insert his axis to every hub to preserve construction for at least two-three weeks.

Know-how of domestic rings is also innovational ring spittoon with water disposal outside the construction. In our political case the disposal was provided directly on camera…

I’m carried away by unnecessary details, but the essence is that the nature of UDAR party determined blocked, fenced off and monopolized ring-presidium as his constant political space.

Summing up I can say that determination of the nature of a certain political force allowed to finish the logic construction. Now it is clear how constant political crop rotation in Ukrainian policy will work. First Maydan, then the street, and then blocking of the presidium. Then Maydan, street and so on…

Is it possible to escape from this crop rotation? I don’t know. Especially taking into account the fact that the power party took the laid-back position in relation to this natural crop rotation.

They look like agronomists and foremen, who gave up their field and closed themselves in kolkhoz office. One thing if they think over some field work – planting, weeding, and fertilizing. The other one – if they simply drink and play cards.

NOTIONS GAMES OR BITTER LESSONS OF LIBERTY Liberty... For Ukraine it was a dream, a sound, and phantom until it was written from a capital letter and quoted («Svoboda», - ed.).

Exaggeration – yes. Deception – indeed

ut immediately when it happened, it received look, found its tongue, its fingers itched, and feet stamped. «Svoboda» (Liberty) quickly turned to the efficient party, marching ideology, parliament force, and a scary perspective.

Its leader Oleg Tyagnibok (Pull-side-

reason is simple: she isn’t free. One can slowly drift apart from her to finally betray her with the lapse of time. But «Svoboda» is on the march. At the local elections it will renounce «Batkivschina», and on the presidential elections – their «mother». In the epoch of money reign

It is easy to play politics for those who are not really responsible before people. They as a rule report with screams, protests, and charges ward - verbatim translation of the last name, - ed.) became the political discovery, sensation of the year 2012. And «Svoboda» itself – its revelation. To jump from political backyards to the power Olympus is the same as to appear from chaos. And it managed to do this. It is always simpler to fluster people when they are disappointed by authorities. Everybody understands: raw vodka isn’t whiskey. But anyway wants to taste it - however it isn’t denatured alcohol. If they swallow it they’ll be pulled apart, or rather sideward. Away from bored realities, problems, and despair. But also away from truth, justice, and verity... Sometimes other thing will be more important: formerly you were weak and suddenly became strong. Formerly you were humbled and now your turn to strike. Not someone in the alley but the authorities in the capital. And they are scared. And simultaneously are glad. Because it seems for them that the «Liberty» of one party means to command the other party. And this is also the way sideward from liberty. It seems that the circle has been closed. But this is not the tragedy of liberty. This is the tragedy of people who decided to use it with their purposes. And then the clock strikes for retribution.

Liberty as it is has no roots and Motherland. Ukrainian «Svoboda» has the roots. This is «crisis of history» and «crisis of independence». This is Galicia. This is OUN-URA, Rukh, «Our Ukraine», and «Orange revolution». It also has its Motherland. Not regions but «Batkivschina». This isn’t Mother.

This is «Batkivschina» – the woman who passed through «Gromada», UNEG, the power, opposition, prison, revolution and returned to prison... And she herself became larger than the entire «Orange revolution». The authorities flirted both with her and with «Svoboda». The authorities were afraid of her... And now they are afraid of «Svoboda». And the

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Anatoly Tolstoukhov

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Chief editor Alexandra Pogorila

people also renounce real values. To renounce false values is like to see the light. To really betray again to become «more liberal». As she also betrayed her «political father» Pavel Lazarenko...She renounced from the entire «Gromada».

So «Batkivschina» found out to be just its copy. Although for the time being was sold like hot cakes. Finally in the original both she and he can have only one common thing – «Case №...». For the history, the courts, and conscience.

Motherland of «Batkivschina» intoxicated by «Svoboda» can’t remain

Distribution • Verkhovna Rada of Ukraine

product. The formula of its realization – «D – The Power – D». lmost like at Karl Marks.

There is emptiness and darkness inside. There everything is the same as at those who call false true, small big, and struggle for power – the politics. That’s why we are closer to a strike, which will hit everybody. And somebody may be whacked in his face before. It was not accidental that the highest legislative authority didn’t accept any new law yet but drunk and spilled huge amount of blood... Real blood, not quoted.

There are two more political forces in the parliament that don’t play notions in titles but forcedly play notions playing politics. They have what to hide and what to hide from. In general, nobody can be in the Ukrainian politics without hide-and-seek, cowboys and Indians, «Monopoly», etc.

About a hundred years ago the communists brought «freedom» to the enslaved people. They wanted to make the whole world free...Then it struck them to build communism in one individual country...Now when it has become mul-

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It is easy to play politics for those who are not really responsible before people. They as a rule report with screams, protests, and charges without a strike (verbatim translation of “Udar” party – ed.). It is constantly tried to be struck. And it really can hit. It is necessary like the fresh air. And if it is going to be struck by super champion Vitaliy Klichko, many people will come, move, and run to watch such «boxing».

So he decided: it is enough to hide behind the «block» in Kiev Rada. It’s time to «hit» the Verkhovnaya Rada. How? To write the word «Udar» (Strike) from the

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tiply smaller they desperately promise to «return the country to people», call to the socialism as the future settling in the capitalistic present. As a party they are richer than «Svoboda», more manifold but are older and weaker. Tomorrow’s leftists will better be born not from the Communist party faithfulness but from the protest against «Svoboda».

And this is one of the political paradoxes.

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Tomorrow’s leftists will better be born not from the Communist party faithfulness but from the protest against «Svoboda» capital letter and quote it. As the saying goes, this sleight is old and time-tested.

I’ve never seen somebody looking inside a muffler. And even if he looks, he hardly will see something there. The same is with «Udar». There is a name, a muffler, glory, and fever. And great wish that somebody will hit the authorities but... To understand who it will be exactly means to look inside «Udar». And realize that «Udar» is also the political

Without building mutual future we are returning to the past. In conditions of the world that is craving for integrity it screams out both communistic mottos and nationalism language. To «smelt» the past is possible only jointly. Just for this the Devil gathered them under the dome of the parliament because both have problems with God that aren’t solved with the help of Church.

It is easy to play politics for those

who are not really responsible to people.

They as a rule report with screams, protests, and charges. That’s why they are called opposition. If the power shows such symptoms, the playing turns into getting lost in the game… Means bad finish…

As a variant it is necessary to prepare for early elections. They appeared clearly majoritatian to somebody. The question appears automatically: «Just in case, what will be the next ones?..».

Or then we will have to attend elections as such. Even like a farce? And what if people won’t come to the elections at all? This will be atonement not for the tragedy of liberty but for the democracy triumph.

It is still written from a small letter and isn’t quoted… But there are fewer «demo» in it and more and more «cracy». This means that the games will go on… until we learn the lesson. It will be bitter if not terrible.

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POLITICS/INTERNATIONAL RELATIONS

3

KARL-GEORG WELLMANN (CDU): «FOREIGN STATES MUSTN’T INTERFERE IN UKRAINIAN JUSTICE...»

On the 24th of January Kiev was visited with official visit by Karl-Georg Wellmann (CDU), the member of the Committee on foreign affairs of Bundestag. The purpose of this visit was meeting of Mr. Wellmann with the Prime Minister of Ukraine Nikolay Azarov. Before his departure Mr. Wellmann kindly agreed to answer the questions of The Kiev Times journalist Alexandra Pogorelaya

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kraine for Europe is a welcome or sooner forced partner? How does America influence this partnership?

Ukraine is Europe. Kiev is the European parent state. We wish Ukraine to enter the EU. If the EU requirements will be fulfilled, Ukraine may become the member of the EU. However there is no excessive interest of the EU countries in Ukraine. I also think that political relations between Europe and Ukraine are independent of the USA.

Photographer Alexander Lobanov

If to examine a geopolitical aspect, to what extent Germany is interested in Ukraine-Russia partnership?

In XXI century old geostrategic conflicts of «cold war» mustn’t play any role anymore. We wish to integrate Ukraine into the EU and wish to maintain good ties with Russia. I consider extremely intelligent the offer of the Ukrainian Prime Minister Nikolay Azarov concerning tripartite energetic consortium with participation of Russia, Ukraine and the EU. We have to work not against each other but with each other.

What position Ukraine can take in the nearest decade in the world political order?

First of all this depends on Ukraine and its domestic policy. I communicate with many politicians who wish to take Ukraine to the European standards.

Ukraine is a large country with 48 million of residents who possess deep Christian traditions. Ukraine can play important role in Europe but Ukraine has to wish this.

Close relations of Ms Clinton and Ms Timoshenko were often used by

lobbyists of the Ukrainian ex-premier’s interests in the world. How do you assess this situation?

I don’t know anything about these close relations. I can suppose and concede only talks about possibility of the political asylum for Timoshenko. But one needs wisely make political decisions. Ukraine doesn’t make everything right like in case of Timoshenko but we mustn’t consider relations of the EU and Ukraine only in the light of Timoshenko.

What is your personal assessment of the US Senate resolution №466 concerning Ukraine?

We need high quality human rights support system. But sanctions have never been effective. A dialogue is very important. I know that psychology makes 50% of foreign policy. We have to try to conduct policy being guided by intellect without applying double standards. There are countries with which Americans maintain very good relations although in these countries the situation with human rights is more complicated than in Ukraine. I mean Pakistan, Saudi Arabia and China. I consider that sanctions against Ukraine are erroneous.

Who has and can finish the subject of Timoshenko?

Only independent justice that isn’t liable to any politicians and any political influences can finish cases of Timoshenko. Foreign states mustn’t interfere in Ukrainian justice without knowing your laws. One wise man said that the minimum of morality is the law where decision is made by independent justice.

PUNCHES IN THE FACE OF KIEV The authority can’t stop social pressure but it can find in its heart to support preservation of the Ukrainian capital’s image Dmitry Zaborin

with valuable land where they can build a skyscraper. And their main goal is to drive it to destruction, and if they don’t succeed to do this – then burn it», – he says. The fight for the former Kiev exchange house already doesn’t look like shy pulling of boards from green fences.

The border has been passed, and further confrontation shall appear on every dubious and not very dubious construction site. Moreover the elections of municipal leader are at hand, and political pressure on the Kiev council has been added to the building scandals. However, these questions are interconnected: practice of the capital land distribution

fia Kievskaya and the building is done all the same, this means that swindlers also sit in prosecutor’s office», – Sobolev is assured.

The question is that would the force united by invisible threads, which controls land distribution, projects coordination, and objects erection, trust in the presence of other force. Obviously, those mellow times when we rather quietly were wasting and breaking down the Soviet heritage are over. As our unforgettable writer nearly a hundred years ago said, «I feel trepidation of a new life». Кiev residents are not the same as they were in Bulgakov’s times –

Photo UNIAN

Elections in majoritarian districts of the capital have shown that Kiev residents are not interested in sops anymore

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hile the issue was prepared to be printed, two workers and one lift crane behind the editorial office’s window were clearing the area on the place of two profitable buildings and a mansion of archpriest of Andreevskaya Church Pavel Podvisotsky. To all appearance they weren’t care that right under excavator tracks on the depth of about five meters there was a foundation of the Western palace of Kiev prince Vladimir the Great. According to the project that directly breaches pro-

the Moscow Patriarchate for two years has been cherishing plans of building of cult object on foundation of the «Desyatinna» Church that is also one of the last fragments of the Kievan Rus’. And if to start enumerating all objects in the historical center of Kiev that one way or another got in the center of a scandal (or just are quietly destructing), this will be a sad story. In the nearest future guides on tours of the ancient city will tell only: «formerly on this place stood...».

Kiev starts to loose its integral image. Pointed architecture solutions – is the same if one paints over a fragment in picture hibition for any building in the buffer zone of Sofia Kievskaya and in general on the territory of Ancient Kiev, they are going to erect guest apartments of UOC KP (Ukrainian Orthodox Church Kiev Patriarchate). But it is unofficially known that this will be a business-center where the church possesses only a small part in consideration for «problem’s solution».

Around the corner the work of excavator is certainly enviously watched by people from a competitive organization. Ukrainian Orthodox Church of

The process of chaotic building (in other words, destruction of Kiev historical identity) of course hasn’t begun yesterday. And speaking by words of writer Michael Bulgakov, «all what happened in the famous city during this period can’t be described». But last year and the beginning of the current one have become literally an apogee of opposition between the community and that force, united by invisible threads, that controls land distribution, projects coordination, and objects erection (moreover, all this is happening with di-

rect and unpunished breach of current prohibitions).

First, in spring last year Kiev residents were excited by events on Andreevsky descent. Besides preparation to the football championship, during which there was replaced paving blocks to the new ones (not all excited Kiev residents known – that was a modern replica of 80s’), buildings of «Yunost» clothing factory opposite famous thirtieth number were turned to ruins. On this place, according to already approved project of distinguished architect John Fotiadis, Rinat Akhmetov’s building company planned to build a fashionable business-center «Andreevsky Plaza». According to the community, this center is absolutely alien for Podol and moreover is useless for Kiev citizens. The community backed its opinion by physical and moral attack.

In principle everybody understood that the matter wasn’t about brick shops of school form production. The matter is in principle. Again speaking by words of the writer, carefree and young generation that lives in the most fabulous gardens of the most beautiful city of our Motherland stood on the edge of the attack. About twenty-thirty years ago they were sure that the whole life would pass in «white color, quietly;

dawns, sunsets, Dnieper, Kreschatik; sunny streets in summer and in winter – not cold, not hard but big tender snow».

But the legendary times have suddenly stopped, and the history sternly came.

In the struggle with it the Kiev residents who upheld their city’s image entered the Social council that resolved to build a cultural center on the site between Frolovskaya str., Andreevsky descent and Borichev Tok str.

First and still the only precedent.

«It’s good that Akhmetov found out to be sensitive to the public opinion that moment and that question. And what if he didn’t?», – social activist and journalist Egor Sobolev complains of the scrappiness. Egor is uncompromising in his assessments also in another sound case –occupation of Gostiny Dvor on Kontraktovaya square. «The community doesn’t require everything to destruct by itself or remain in the same condition as it was twenty hundred years ago. Arrival of the private investor who observes requirements to monuments’ preservation will be beneficial both for buildings and for investor. But the authority sabotages control over usage of such buildings, and investors aren’t investors but swindlers. They get an object by pieces, by hook or crook, and it is just the «object» for them – the place

is able to spoil any elected body. Especially, if inveterate rustlers are sitting in that body. And here the serious question appears: who, in fact, will govern the city, fight for cultural heritage preservation simultaneously developing modern municipal infrastructure? And what to do with such important features of Kiev image as Gostiny Dvor?

«Let’s assume, they will say now: «Yes, ok, we don’t touch anything». But what next? The building will stay and destruct all the same requiring reconstruction, requiring bringing life into it.

And if the city isn’t ready to invest into reconstruction, who’s ready then?», – notes the member of the National association of theater figures of Ukraine Dmitry Bogomazov. To his opinion, practice of the social councils has to become generally accepted; and fascinated and, above all, educated citizens should determine the future of historical values and their development strategy.

«Kiev starts to loose its integral image. Pointed architecture solutions – is the same if one paints over a fragment in picture. And when this integral image begins to spoil, everything spoils too – the city, atmosphere, and people», – thinks the theater director. And the journalist and public figure is not less sure that Kiev is actually short of at least one normal government body.

For example, the public prosecutor’s office. «The community doesn’t have to extinguish fires; by the same token all fires can’t be extinguished. The power has to control and direct everything. We have good Law about cultural heritage protection. It contains everything including criminal liability. But if the law forbids to build in the buffer zone of So-

«quiet, slowly, and without any Americanization»; the city absorbed the most dynamic and active elements of the Ukrainian society from various regions.

Elections in majoritarian districts of the capital have shown that Kiev residents are not interested in sops anymore. Though unconsciously, selecting the worse but they demonstrated adherence to their principles. Continuous conflicts with builders strengthened with the political interests will further appear all over the city. Seizure of the Kiev council, in spite of complete misunderstanding of the city’s interests by right-wing radicals, further creation of similarity to the public control over deputies’ activity is the first step to direct democracy. And mayor’s elections quite promise to turn into a normal scuffle.

Undoubtedly all this doesn’t guarantee Kiev prosperity. Quite the contrary, this can aggravate all negatives that got implanted in it. However the municipal and central power have strengths to breath out and immediately create normal system, when the land would be sold on the opened auctions, the city would have development plan, and social activists would take part in decision of fate of historical buildings, which are what distinguish Kiev from all other cities of the world. For example, the House of baron Steinheil on Yaroslavov Val str., that is slowly parting. As on a large scale the grandchildren of businessmen don’t need their money. They need live history and pride for the «Mother of all Russian cities» and their ancestors. And the community will happily support any reasonable and clearly explained initiative. Andreevsky descent is the example.

4

UKRAINE/SHELL

THE KIEV TIMES | MARCH, 2013

MYTHS AND TRUTH ABOUT SHALE GAS Subject of shale gas has become much needed in Ukraine in connection with a definite set of geopolitical factors, which from the moment of signing in 2009 of the Contract for Russian gas delivery for ten years period have been exponentially accumulating

U

krainian authority that at the beginning of 2010 announced about the necessity to build up good relations with Russia (European and Euro-Atlantic integration were set aside to the deep outskirts) expected that in return Moscow for sure will agree to reduce prices for Russian gas. In the same 2010 Kiev made an unprecedentedly dangerous step from the point of view of Ukrainian national safety, having allowed Russian Black sea fleet to stay in Crimea for additional forty years. However, all abovementioned initiatives have never played high. As last year Ukraine subject to a hundred dollar discount continued to pay 475 US dollars per thousand cubic meters of Russian gas that is virtually the highest price for Russian gas in Europe.

Such rigidity of the Russian autho­ rity’s position in relation to reconsideration of the signed contract forced Kiev to think about gas subject in a new way. Eyes fall upon several alternatives, and first of all on purchase of so called liquefied natural gas and shale gas. We must admit that this way Kiev hit the mark. Subject of shale gas production began to be actively discussed in the highest political circles of the European countries, which seek for the ways to reduce monopolistic gas dependence.

Thus, for example, in February 2013 the government of Germany charged the ministry of economy and the mini­ stry of ecology with development of a project, which must regulate application of «fracking» (burst of earth’s crust with the purpose of shale gas extraction) when producing shale gas in Germany. The key purpose of a bill, which has to be developed before elections to Bundestag (that will take place on the 22nd of September 2013), is provision of shale gas production subject to ecological standards observance.

The head of the German concern BASF Gerald Shwager confirmed the interest of shale gas production in Germany, as well as participation in the shale pro­ jects in Latin America and Europe.

Simultaneously with this process the experts work on determination of actual role and place of shale gas in Europe.

The International Energy Agency report, published at the end of May 2012, contains optimistic assessments of the processes of shale gas production in a number of European countries, particularly in Poland. The repost also states that in 10-years perspective shale gas will undermine positions of traditional gas exporters to the European market, first of all – positions of Russia.

Meanwhile the experts consider that today it’s difficult to evaluate the real meaning of shale gas for Europe, as a substitute of traditional natural gas.

Even at superficial examination of figures concerning possible shale gas deposits in Europe, which were published

logical organizations established for «Gasprom» money. Such organizations note harmfulness of shale gas production for the environment. Particularly there are arguments that the method of shale gas production by means of earth stratum hydraulic burst harms underground waters. Such «anti-shale» campaigns have already been conducted in Bulgaria, France, and Ukraine. Poland is next - so called European nuclear lobby, which isn’t interested in sale at the European counties’ markets of sufficient volumes of local shale gas that will be available for development of power plants working on this kind of fuel.

Gas lobby became especially opportune when in 2011 Germany announced about withdrawal of all nuclear power plants. Therewith after the tragedy on Japan atomic power station «Fukusima-1» the gas lobby in Europe is well mobilized and ready for strict ideological struggle with the competitors; - groups supporting development of alternative energetic, which are financed by the European Union for conducting researches in this sphere.

In case if shale gas large deposits on the territory of European countries are confirmed, it will be direct competitor to more unprofitable alternative energetic resources.

By the way, protest actions against shale gas production were already conducted this year in several Ukrainian cities – Kharkov, Slavyansk, Donetsk as well as several cities of Western Ukraine.

Talking about politicization, it is worth to emphasize that the main efforts in this direction are made by two parties.

USA political shale gas game The first one is USA, on the territory of which there is 3,6 trillion cubic meters of shale gas available for production. In 2010 the United States produced shale gas in the volume of 51 billion cubic meters; in 2011 figures remained approximately on the same level. Such breakthrough has given reasons to talk about «American shale revolution», and its geopolitical consequences will change configuration of the world gas market. According to American scientists’ forecasts, to 2020 USA will bring shale gas production to 100 billion cubic meters and this will allow them becoming the largest world exporter of this kind of fuel.

Taking into account the necessity of consolidation of the world positions at the alternative gas market by the United States, American energetic companies, first of all Chesapeake Energy Corporation, Exxon Mobil, ConocoPhillips and Shell, in 2010 started to conduct

According to the assessment of the US Energy Information Administration, about 1,1-3 trillion cubic meters of shale gas available for production can be kept on the territory of Ukraine in various sources, the group concluded that sometimes differences make to hundred percent. For instance, US Administration for information in the sphere of energetic evaluates shale gas deposits on the territory of Poland in the volume of 5,3 trillion cubic meters.

At the same time the Polish geological institute tells about approximately 800 billion cubic meters of shale gas. This situation is explained both by unaccomplished process of gas deposits research and by its production complexity.

Mentioned contradictions create favorable ground for high politicization of shale gas subject that considerably prevents to objectively assess its places in energetic strategies of the European states. Such vagueness situation will continue for at least two following years until the companies that started to conduct investigation of shale gas volumes in Poland, Ukraine and Hungary, as well as to evaluate the possibilities of its production, will bring first real results.

COMMENT

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orld practice of production sharing agreements` (PSAs) using is very diverse. This type of agreement represents a flexible tool for the parties to achieve their goals on mutually beneficial conditions. Very often, PSA is the most profitable way to organize extraction of oil and gas, and is usually used in countries wanting financial, technological and human resources for self-field exploitation.

The first production sharing contract was signed by the national oil company of Indonesia in August 1966. Today Indonesia has already developed three generations of PSA contracts. Each subsequent contract differed from the basic one in the number of features.

They have been improving from gene­ ration to generation, adapting to the conditions of the domestic and foreign market.

Initially, contracts were concluded with relatively small firms. However, with the increase of world oil prices and exhaustion of the most accessible deposits owned by the major oil and gas companies, this form of cooperation started to become more and more popu­lar. Now it is widely used in the

massive informational campaigns in Europe. Their purpose is to draw attention of authorities of such countries like Ukraine, Poland and Hungary to shale gas as the real alternative to the Russian energy resources.

The American party, according to the specialists’ opinion, pursued several tactic purposes at informational campaigns conduct: • to offer Poland, Ukrainian and Hungarian authorities its services of prospecting and production of shale gas, thereby consolidating on the energetic markets of Central European states; • to start the game for reduction of «Gasprom» influence on the European energetic market; • to unbalance positions of the largest gas players of the world energetic market; • to launch the process of the world energetic market reformatting Against the background of conflict 2005–2009s’ development of relations

between Ukraine and Russia in a gas sphere the factor of shale gas succes­ sfully worked in 2010. The American party managed to convince Poland, Ukraine and Hungary in the necessity to start works on shale gas production.

In 2010 Ukraine issued licenses for shale gas deposits evaluation to two American companies – Chevron and Shell. In May 2012 the winners of the contest of two Ukrainian largest gas sites’ development were announced.

Thus, the right for development of Yuzovka gas site (Donetsk and Kharkov regions) was granted to the Shell Company, and the right for development of Olesko gas site (Ivano-Frankovsk and Lvov regions) was granted to Chevron.

Contracts with the American companies for shale gas production haven’t been signed yet.

At the beginning of 2013 Ukraine made its first step towards reduction of gas dependence from Russia by signing the contract for production of shale gas with the American company Shell. After signing the vice-president of the Shell Company in Ukraine Graham Tiley noted that initial investments of Shell into gas-extraction in Ukraine would make not less than 200 million dollars. He also noted that practical works on untraditional gas production in Ukraine would start only after correspondent ecological assessments of the project.

According to Graham Tiley, practical works can’t be started on all areas that are developed before termination of exhaustive assessment of ecological, social influence and influence on people’s health. He reminded that initial programme of geological research included seismic data organization and boring of only 15 wells. Tiley explained that, according to the specialists’ assessments, gas in a sandstone dense rock at Yuzov site in Ukraine was deposited much deeper than shale gas. That’s why prospecting wells will be bored to a depth of 2,5-5 kilometers. But all technical questions have been carefully studied by Shell, and experience shows that developments are environmentally friendly.

Thus it is expected that commercial production of shale gas in Ukraine shall start approximately in 2018–2019. According to the expected results, production at Yuzov gas site can make from 10 to 15 billion cubic meters per year, and at Olesko gas site – approximately from 3 to 5 billion cubic meters. If ev-

erything will go according to the plan, Ukraine has real chances to completely renounce purchase of Russian gas, thereby making up current gas deficit in the volume of about 30 billion cubic meters per year. According to the assessment of the US Energy Information Administration, about 1,1-3 trillion cubic meters of shale gas available for production can be kept on the territory of Ukraine. American companies consolidating at the gas Ukrainian market

Sweden, Norway, Denmark, the Great Britain, Poland, Lithuania, Ukraine, and Turkey shall make about 17,7 trillion cubic meters. The largest deposits of shale gas among all European countries belong to Poland – about 5 200 000 000 000 cubic meters, France – 5,1 trillion cubic meters, Norway – 2,35 trillion cubic meters, and Sweden – 1,16 trillion cubic meters. However, the question about volumes of shale gas available for production remains opened.

According to American scientists’ forecasts, to 2020 USA will bring shale gas production to 100 billion cubic meters and this will allow them becoming the largest world exporter of this kind of fuel will be able to widen their influence on the East European countries’ (Poland, Ukraine, and Hungary) energetic market strategically important for the entire Europe.

Aggregate figures of shale gas that is on the territory of European countries are also impressive. Thus, total volume of shale gas that is on the territory of France, Austria, Germany, Netherlands,

Shale gas political game of Russia The Russian Federation has antithetical purposes in «shale gas game» in Europe. Its main goal is to block the processes connected with development and production of shale gas as they destroy the gas monopoly of «Gasprom» in Europe. For this the Russian party uses such leverage: - possibilities of the European eco-

IT’S NOT ALL THAT ROSY AS IT SEEMS Evgeniy Savchuk, Head of Rating Department. Information and Rating Agency Credo Line.

world. In general, the experience of such cooperation was positive.

Almost in all cases distribution of extracted goods between the investor and the state has several stages. The first stage consists in paying royalties or fees for the use of natural resources – it is a percentage of the volume of production or cash payment the state obtains. This guarantees a minimum income to the state treasury, even if the project as a whole turns out to be unprofitable.

In different agreements royalty rate varies. The most prevalent are agreements which provide the amount of such payment at the level of 4-10%.

The subsoil use fee in the agreement between Shell and Ukraine is 1.25% for gas and 2% for oil. In other words the fee is very low. It should be noted that agreements providing higher royalty rates, carry more risks for the state.

For example, the scandalous Russian project «Sakhalin-2» provided royalty at the level of 6%. That experience of our northern neighbors is very interest-

ing, because the company Royal Dutch Shell was also involved in it. In the mid1990s, the company wanted to build and run a giant gas project «Sakhalin-2» on the island of Sakhalin. Headed by Shell, a consortium of four foreign companies in 1994 signed an agreement with the Russian government on production sharing. In this case, it could allow Shell and its partners to return their investments in the project before receiving significant financial benefits by the Russian government. Such an obvious mistake of the Russian side was made due to the fact that the political and economic decisions taking in the country at that time was decentralized.

The fact is that after royalties payment begins the most difficult part of the project to control from a financial point, namely determination of compensation proportion. This refers to a part of extracted products that are available to the investor, so that it could cover the costs incurred in the process of field exploration and development.

According to the PSA, signed in the

framework of «Sakhalin-2» project, the consortium led by Shell should have received 90% of the products manufactured before the project rate of return reached 17.5%. Only after that the proportion had to become 50% to 50%.

Russian authorities have accused Shell of delaying this moment, and as a result the company was forced to pass the 50 percent stake in «Sakhalin-2» project to Gasprom. The authorities declared that the investor has caused environmental damage in the amount of USD 50 billion, and that it should be covered. This statement forced Shell to agree on the conditions of the Russian side.

It should be noted that Shell also drew the moral of this experience. In the project with Ukraine the investor hires an independent ecological company that will adhere to the rules and follow all the environmental standards that must be met in Ukraine.

However, even these companies’ internal rules are stricter than environmental legislation of Ukraine. Under Ukrainian law on the PSA, the propor-

tion of compensatory production must not exceed 70% of the total extraction volume that means that the Ukrainian party must receive at least 30%. According to the clause 14.6 of the agreement with Shell the state’s share in the distribution of hydrocarbon production varies from 31% to 60% depending on the cost of production, i.e. legislative regulation is observed. This means that the British-Dutch company will receive up to 70% of the produced gas until it completely recovers its costs. That is why it is of great importance how clearly these costs are stated in the agreement, and if there’s any loophole that allows the investor extending the period of acquiring a larger share of compensation.

However, this is a technical side of the question.

According to the document, the first development plan includes projected costs of the investor in the amount of 10 billion dollars. State receives payments to the budget by way of bonuses for several stages of research and deve­ lopment. The total amount of bonuses

But what does one must remember first of all?

In Ukraine the questions of gas dependence are still some kind of national curse, which curiously enough can be easily transformed into a large economic process. For this one has to remember about several simple things.

First, US experience shows that in case of correct solution of the questions about shale gas production one can move really far in the issues of gas independence provision. Both ordinary people consuming gas and large enterprises using gas for manufacture will directly benefit from this.

Second, the European parliament allowed developing of shale gas on the territory of the European Union. And the questions of ecology and environmental protection are very apprehensive for Brussels.

And third, the process of shale gas production research in Ukraine has just begun. That’s why it is needed to set unnecessary emotions aside and aim maximal efforts to a sober assessment of shale gas production perspectives.

Only this way the country can reach the new important round of economic development.

is 200 million dollars with tranches from 25 million to 100 million dollars.

According to the clause 20.3 of the agreement, social investments will amount to 2 million dollars per year from the date of agreement signing to the beginning of development, and 3 million dollars will be received during the development period. In addition, the expenditures for Ukrainian Institute of unconventional gas foundation in the range of 2 million dollars (clause 21.5) are provided. The state budget will also receive 10 million dollars for information provision and permissions registration. In return the investor will receive significant tax benefits.

However, the prospects are not as rosy as they seem to be at the first glance. Under the terms of PSA, all these investments represent huge costs that Shell will have to offset fully from the extracted products. We also shouldn’t forget that the cost of shale gas production is many times higher than the average cost of natural gas production.

Obviously, the greater the costs, the longer period the project will reach self-sufficiency. As for increase of Ukraine’s share in the distributed hydrocarbon production, it is essential that this point should be reached as early as possible.

Photo UNIAN

Geostrategy global intelligence group

www.thekievtimes.ua

UKRAINE/SUBJECT OF ISSUE

5

SHALE GAS AND RESPONSIBILITY OF SHELL Every time when democratic world stops to communicate with Ukraine, it makes something requiring at least wide public discussion. Last year Ukraine got rid of Ukrainian nuclear potential remains in exchange for USA loyalty, and in new year it farmed two regions (Donetsk and Kharkov) out to Shell, which is going to produce shale gas, in exchange for investments and possibility to reduce energetic dependence from the Kremlin Matvey Levin

T

The ruling fraction deputies have made the decision in record time by majority of votes: for — 86 deputies, against – seven deputies, one abstained, and four didn’t take part in voting (in Donetsk 106 deputies of 137 voted for).

After the meeting Oleg Proskuryakov [new minister of ecology of Ukraine, who personally attended sessions of Donetsk and Kharkov regional councils] assured that agreement between the state, Shell Exploration and Production Ukraine Investments BV, and «Nadra Yuzovskaya» Ltd. would be signed to the end of January. At the same time he promised that voted agreement regulates only (according to the minister «just») legal relationships between investors and the state. And the project itself will be prepared later. This is the

for the land, rental fee for produced gas, duty, ecological tax, charge for water special use, charge for compulsory state pension insurance including charge for immovable property purchase and automobiles alienation, charges at purchase or sale of foreign currency, and mobile communication services (part 28.2.2).

But that’s not the whole story. The state wonderfully strongly restricts its rights in relationships with the investor. Thus, independently of potential changes in the Ukrainian legislation investing operator has a privilege for 16% profit tax from the beginning of 2014 (clause 28.5.17). And if he, for instance, doesn’t receive value-added tax compensation in time, the fine of 120% NBU discount rate for every day of delay

Photo UNIAN

he signing of contracts in Davos itself was really spectacular. But it is difficult to share gladness of authority, and not only because this gladness often has nothing in common with the state’s welfare, but first of all because Ukrainian people still don’t understand what exactly the authority has signed – text of the agreement hasn’t been published yet.

The fact that agreement with Shell still isn’t a subject of heated discussions looks quite strange because shale gas production is connected with a series of poorly predictable ecological risks. And ecological risks logically arouse possible social protests and even (as it happened in Lvov region by forces of «Svoboda») disobedience of local councils deputies with their theatrical

attempts to block strategically impor­ tant solutions for president.

In spite of the fact that shale campaign importance can scarcely be overestimated, social discussion as regards this has started only after Davos signing and often bears irrational character.

Although according to the Ukrainian constitution land and subsoil are our common property, the impression is that top-officials, who have already made a decision and registered carte blanche for boring, are trying to rush this decision through all bureaucratic procedures as quick and quiet as possible.

In controllable Donetsk and Kharkov everything has happened almost this way. Almost, if not to take into account the procedure failure that in the sequel can become the Achilles’ heel of the entire shale project.

So, on the 17th of January in Kharkov (and earlier on the 16th of January in Donetsk) the session of regional council agreed the project of agreement about distribution of carbohydrates, which will be extracted within Yuzov area (Kharkov and Donetsk regions). And opinion of the community that opposed the current project was traditionally «multiplied by zero».

COMMENT

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irst of all it’s necessary to decide on the terminology. «Shale gas» per se doesn’t exist. This is an outdated name because according to the modern notions shale is a metamorphic massive material. This means it was formed of sediments and magma rocks as a result of high temperature and pressure.

Formerly shale was the title of sapropelites, aggregate of organic matters from sea rotten mud or, the other words, sapropel. They are considered the parent matter for formation of petroleum and under thermal distillation produce black oil and gas.

Technologies of gas production from organic matter that is contained in sedi­ments are known for a long time.

For example, in Leningrad Region there is a city called Slantsy (Shale)

document where, as the minister promises, all ecological, geological and seismic risks will be considered. And only then, when the project of development will be approved on all levels, Shell will embark on work.

However, according to the Ukrainian Law «About agreements of product

(clause 28.6.13) is imposed. Besides, the investor doesn’t fall under effect of any standard act of the state or local government if they restrict the investor’s rights (clause 23.2.5). Investors’ activity audits have to be realized by single state structure once in three years, and their duration mustn’t exceed 10 days

Investors’ activity audits have to be realized by single state structure once in three years, and their duration mustn’t exceed 10 days without right for prolongation distribution» that was recently edited by the investors’ request, the last are relieved of responsibility in situations when loss appears due to natural phenomena but not deviation from technological norms. Such remarks create possibilities to maneuver and find legal loopholes that allow escaping liability.

Besides, according to the project of agreement, investors pay exceptionally the following taxes: enterprises profit tax, value-added tax and fee for subsoil use. Investor is also obliged to administrate profit taxes of natural persons and provide fees for compulsory social insurance (part 28.1). Investing companies aren’t subject to taxation by fee

without right for prolongation (clause 9). Potential danger for the interests of the state, budget and individual citi­ zens can also become the investor’s right for free use of water necessary for oil and gas activity (clause 7.1.К), the right for access to lands outside Contractual plot without proprietary right acquisition (clause 7.1. L). Also investor has right without customs duties, without quotas, licensing and other restrictions, taxes and charges to import and export goods and services necessary for extractive activity realizing outside Ukraine (clauses 7.1.P and Q.).

What really bolsters such an unpre­ cedented trust of our state to the trans-

national corporation? Seemingly, there are no reasons for this: as it was found out at the meeting of the Social council on the 12th of December 2012, Shell even isn’t going to make any ecological examinations on the assigned territory. There won’t be complex analysis of influence on the environment supported by experts’ conclusions, because in Ukraine such analysis isn’t legislatively foreseen and supposedly there were no individual requests for its conduct. This means that actually the transnational company is going to start dangerous developments on the territory of two Ukrainian regions even without ecological assessment. Meanwhile its representatives and Ukrainian officials are trying to persuade us that it’s worth for us to simply trust in Shell.

Shell Company representative Tatyana Bobrovitskaya as the argument used only the company’s scale. The questions of ecologists concerning safe technology, which will be used by Shell, often remained unanswered. If, of course, the following statement could be considered an answer: «Shell specialists don’t think that such problem can possibly appear».

In general, according to the eco­ logists, approach of Shell to gas extraction from packed sandstones in Ukraine reminded chapters from the book of John Bizant and Yan Cummins called «Shell shocks the world» that are devoted to the story about how the company destroyed resources of Nigeria and brought this African country to the situation of ecological catastrophe.

Let me remind you that in Nigeria Shell Company extracts not gas but oil. There are periodical leaks there. Oil spills to the sea but as it doesn’t reach Nigeria coasts, Shell refuses to pay compensations. But the sea is what feeds the locals and everything around them, and this is a part of our common ecosystem.

All this, however, absolutely doesn’t convince Shell to answer for its deeds – they are legally («just») right.

But ecologists’ opinion wasn’t uttered on the session and this can’t be considered a simple mistake as in under time pressure conditions the expert opinion could considerably help deputies to cope with the problem. Moreover, the deputies weren’t informed that the meeting of the Social council of Environment protection public administration has been held in Kharkov. At that meeting the Social council impeached credibility to the representative of Shell and said about impossibility to endorse the project of carbohydrates production within the borders of Yuzov site without thorough examination of its activity ecological consequences.

Instead of this the optimistic ecological perspectives was uttered on the session by a staff ecologist of the Social council.

Nevertheless, judging by already signed decree of the ministries and conducted work on the level of regional councils, after all Shell will produce gas in Ukraine. This seems unavoidable.

First, it is late to require cancellation of shale gas extraction – people who stand behind «Nadra Yuzovskaya» Ltd won’t give up, and Shell doesn’t look like a company that can leave the market for free. Second, it is really hard to

prove that shale gas is only harm if to pay attention to the world tendencies or at least to our Polish neighbors who started development of such projects

Vladimir Baranov, Polyakov Institute of geotechnical mechanics of the National academy of sciences of Ukraine

methane production. Then somebody’s wise head remembered about sapropelites and about all sediments containing organic matter of more than 1-2%.

I offered to call these rocks a bioliths. This term is included into vocabularies but everybody forgot about it. Technology of gas production from bioliths differs by the issue that at hydro-burst the great amount of chemicals is added to the liquid – to 600-800 components. This provokes sublimation or chemical reaction of hard organic matter conversion to gas.

The more organic matter in the rock, the more gas is produced. As USA and

Cana­da possess many bioliths resources, they have tested the new technology. It is clear that cost of such gas is higher and volumes of production are lower than natural gas has.

But the main thing is ecological component. Chemical agents get to the earth and water. Then water scatters all this along opened underground horizons for a great distance away. And taking into account that boring density has to be high – about eight wells per square meter – after such production only moonscape remains. And questions are the following: where to make burial of poisoned water? How to liquidate wells after completion of works?

deputies easily made a decision crucial for life of the whole region for many decades ahead. But as it was found out the officials saved not only paper but space on a web-site: text of the agreement has been posted on the regional councils’ site on request of opposition deputies but only for few hours. The same day the text of the project was deleted and currently it can be read only on a personal web-site of Varchenko.

But we would remind you that this is

According to the project of agreement, investors pay exceptionally the following taxes: enterprises profit tax, value-added tax and fee for subsoil use It’s necessary to consider that Shell is a huge company, which being on the territory of a foreign country behaves like it is allowed to. It’s silly and irres­ ponsibly to blame only Shell top-management in what happened in Nigeria.

First of all, Nigerian officials who didn’t foresee the mechanisms of responsibility for the transnational corporation are guilty. Momentary and tactic benefit – that what guided people who made the decisions. But practice and current project of agreement prove that our authority isn’t better at all. Taking into account catastrophically low budget usage of capacity, the Ukrainian officials are ready to hand over protected lands (borders of Yuzov site collide on the territories of conservation areas) to the company with not irreproachable reputation, not having taken the trouble to familiarize with the documents, as there is extremely few information about agreement, which was approved by the regional council’s deputies on the 17th of January. Deputies and journalists were only handed a brief content on two pages in fine print. The text of the agreement, according to the head of the regional council Sergey Chernov, counts more than 700 pages and the

the project of agreement. The deputies didn’t even vouchsafe to familiarize themselves with the agreement signed in Davos.

It is worth to note another important innovation: earlier it was possible to oppose «gas wells» on the level of local councils simply forbidding the companies to start development at specific site that belongs to a specific territorial community. But in 2011 the Ukrainian Law «About agreements of production distribution» was added by amendments, which deprived local authorities and the population the right to participate in the process of land approval for conduct of untraditional («shale») gas prospecting.

And now almost the only variant of influence on signing of agreement with Shell seems to be an attempt to dispute controvert this signing in view of illegitimacy of decisions, which gave reasons for this signing. And opposition deputies of the Verkhovnaya Rada re­ presenting «Svoboda» and «Batkivschina» have already announced that they were going to dispute the decisions of the regional councils.

The reason motive for this can become, first of all, liquidation in Au-

Transnational company is going to start dangerous developments on the territory of two Ukrainian regions even without ecological assessment

the head of the regional council explained his decision concerning breach of order, spirit and form of the statute.

In order not to waste state paper the

gust 2012 of the Social council of AllUkrainian conservation organizations that expressed its negative relation to shale gas extraction in Ukraine (in exchange they there was established the new pocket one, which approved the extraction). And second, falsification of resulting documents of Kharkov Social council, which supposedly approved the project offered by Shell that - fact is denied by all members of the mentioned council. Finally the meeting of the regional council can’t be considered completed because there were no recommendations of the Social council, and the deputies made decisions not having enough time for reading of the agreement project materials and the agreement itself.

And if prohibition of shale production in Ukraine seems to be almost unachievable, «freezing» of a situation by suits to the European courts looks quite real. And ultimatums to the agreements with Shell are crystallizing in two theses: in requirements of security pledging as well as responsibility in case of problems troubles or accidents.

This scenario looks possible, especially considering the character and quantity of suits to the European court from Ukrainians as well as the fact that the project of shale gas production in Ukraine has not only influential high powered followers but the same influential high powered opponents.

And why don’t we produce natural gas, which is quite enough in Ukraine?

I’m more than sure that all this pandemonium with «shale gas» is connected with politics and desire of officials to launder money. Nobody says how much gas is in the shelf, which was handed over to Romanians by the previous president (Victor Yushchenko, – editor). They don’t talk about long-hole drilling machines that were handed over by the former vice-premier (Julia Timoshenko, – editor) to a private structure and cut to scrap metal. They also don’t tell that «Shell» and other foreign companies receive licenses for production of natural gas at the deposits of Donbass’s northeast.

Today our state structures producing gas are completely breaking down, and with the blessing of officials their place is taken by foreign investors.

They tell about their technologies, and that they are goody-goody. If they

manage, they will receive special taxation for «shale gas», but will produce usual natural gas fleecing our country to the maximum.

We have sufficient gas resources to be independent of anybody. But for its production it’s necessary to bore wells. There won’t be gas without this.

Like recently one eminent official form the former Ministry of geology said, if today we had such financing as in Soviet Union’s period there won’t be problems at all. But as you see, there is no ministry; there is no money for geological prospecting; there are no machines for long-hole drilling; there is no increment of explored reserves and no production increase, although there are enough areas for this. And the worst variant would be, if we really start to apply production technology by chemical method. But hopefully this won’t happen because of low profitability.

contents of these 700 pages are known to very few people. And the largest part of the initiates isn’t going to live on the territories that probably will be turned into a zone of ecological calamity disaster.

That’s why it isn’t surprise that on the session of the regional council in Kharkov some deputies (first of all the communists, representatives of Svoboda and BUT) talked about shale gas harmfulness, about barbarism of our government that acts regardless of the local residents, social organizations and expert commissions, however the deputies didn’t make references to the text itself because they simply hadn’t the possibility to examine it.

After voting one of the Kharkov regional councils’ deputies Ivan Varchenko using his deputy authorities found out that in truth the text of agreement contained not 730 (as was said at the session) but 368 pages, which weren’t printed for the pollers voters in view of saving because of the cost. That’s how

In order not to waste state paper the deputies easily made a decision crucial for life of the whole region for many decades ahead

PANDEMONIUM AROUND GAS built on a deposit where combustibles were produced before the war and used with economic purposes. And after the war, when great amounts of oil and gas became necessary for the national economy, and the state assigned means for development of new deposits, everybody forgot about sapropelites. In 70-80s’ of the previous century USA mastered technology of coal methane production by means of coal deposits boring, coal stratum hydro-burst, wells draining and gas exhaust. When coal deposits were bored and coal methane production reached 50 billion cubic meters per year, a question appeared: what to do with infrastructure of coal

in this sphere before us. However it is important to understand that judging by behavior of Shell representatives and Ukrainian top-officials the situation with shale gas production will be developed not according to the Polish scenario but to the Nigerian one. Because it is cheaper for Shell, and also because these are peculiarities of local Ukrainian business and these are politicians who aren’t able to think even by one generation ahead.

6

POLITICS

THE KIEV TIMES | MARCH, 2013

WHAT DO STRUGGLE FOR NATURE, ONLINE EDUCATION AND «ARAB SPRING» HAVE IN COMMON? Ukrainian population turns into Bandar-logs – fussy crowd that readily heeds hypnotic speeches of «senior brothers in mind» and accepts them as a guide for action.

The matter isn’t about followers of Bandera ideas, although names are consonant to each other. The matter is about technologies, which under plausible pretexts turn the whole nations into obedient biomass Alexander Dudchak

– Do you hear me, Bandar-logs?

– We hear you, Kaa… («Mowgli»)

T

hese technologies were born in times of two different socio-economic systems’ confrontation. In those days our opponents realized that it was impossible to overpower us with the direct armed aggression. It was necessary to seek for alternative and «non-violent» methods of cordons opening, territories occupation, resources seizure and establishment of control over states and nations.

«Bandar-log» is a widespread type of a modern citizen – first he «sincerely believes» and then is «sincerely mistaken». And just this kind of people is 90% of those who were on Maydans of all revolutions of the end of ХХ – the beginning of ХХI century.

Of the entire diverse spectrum of technologies of «soft power» (Joseph Nay) or «non-violent methods» (Gene Sharp) or even «liberal multi-culturalism» (Chandran Kukathas) let’s dwell on one of them – the softest and most non-violent. Online education is the idea of postal education that received its second wind in conditions of fifth technological structure. This noble idea was the main subject of the 6th circular table concerning questions of charity called «RevolutiOnline.edu – online-education changes the world», which took part on 24th of January 2013 in Swiss Davos.

Distant education or establishing of control over states of the world?

Will a normal person object to water and electricity conservation or environment protection? Is it possible to stay indifferent to a threat of global warming? Or a subject of dolphins, Amur tigers and blue whales protection?!

Once you see a film on TV about drunken parents who scoff at juvenile children, you won’t sleep calmly anymore. Every normal sensible person shall hardy stay equitable after getting such information.

And thus the task №1 is executed: creation of correspondent emotional base in consciousness of almost every mentally sane Homo sapiens, who has access to TV, newspapers, radio and Internet. This emotional base will play a role of foundation, on which a framework of public opinion strengthened

«Environment protection» - perfect idea that broken out at the end of 60s’ of ХХ century being persistently structured and stiffened owing to a branched network of financial organizations and «charitable foundations» and NGO financed by them, has gradually turned into a tough mechanism of pressure on many world countries’ state machine.

Ecology ministries are created; special courses on ecology are read in the uni-

October 1991 as a pilot programme of the World Bank with the budget of 1 billion dollars.

In 1994 on the «Earth Summit» in Rio de Janeiro the GEF was formally withdrawn from the system of the World Bank, probably for hiding of «alliances». Currently the GEF is international financial organization with members of 182 states. It plays the role of a «catalyst for improvement of global environ-

Luring and taming huge amount of people enabled in NGO, the GEF receives the possibility to use them as «influence agents» in many countries. And to exert pressure on many states authorities under the mask of a struggle for the most noble purposes with a network of «non-government» organizations (NGO) will be built. Every person naturally asks himself questions like «Who’s guilty?» and «What to do?».

Internet-blogs, twitters, facebooks and youtubes will help him to answer these questions.

The answer is: fight!

For nature, for children, for future generations that will live in peace and justice. It is desirable and even necessary to unite for greater effectiveness.

On a global scale. And on this stage the task №2 is solved: creation of global subject institutions. The pretence of their creation isn’t important. The main thing is unification and coordination from a single center. Of course, the coordinator will be the part having more possibilities. First of all – finances and authority. I.e. that one, who prints money, possesses longer aircraft carriers and thicker rockets.

versities, and various actions at schools and kindergartens are conducted. However only those projects and NGOs are financed that work in the predetermined course. For example, ground anthropogenic negative influence on nature, persuade in the necessity of saving starving Africans with genetic modified food or prove that the Earth is overpopulated and can normally maintain not more than 4–6 billion of people.

What does the World Bank spend billions for?

In 1988 the United Nations Environment Programme, UNEP, together with International metrological organization (IMО) found Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change, IPCC. UNEP is also one of the cofounders of the Global Ecological Fund (GEF) together with the World Bank and UNO Programme of development. This «independent» financial organization was created in

ment». Applying the methods similar to the methods of IMF, having NGO structure and executing analytic center functions, the GEF finances projects in the «sphere of biodiversity protection, climate change, protection of international waters, struggle with land resources and ozone layer degradation, and organic pollution of the environment». Luring and taming huge amount of people enabled in NGO, the GEF receives the possibility to use them as «influence agents» in many countries.

And to exert pressure on many states authorities under the mask of a struggle for the most noble purposes. From the moment of its foundation the GEF assigned 8,8 billion dollars with additional co-financing at the rate of 38,7

billion dollars for fulfillment of more than 2400 projects in more than 165 countries. Via Small Grants Programme, SGP, more than 10 thousand of grants for NGO were financed.

activity. Resemblance in means, methods, tactics and strategy of worldwide «green» revolution with variety of other «colored» revolutions conducted in the recent decades is really striking.

Agenda XXI In 1987 the World Commission on Environment and Development of UNO initiated creation of the Earth Charter (EC).

On the 14th of June 1992 on the «Earth Summit» instead of the EC there was adopted the Rio Declaration know as «Agenda XXI». The final text of this document has become the result of developments, consultations and negotiations conducted in 1989-1992.

On the Summit in Rio de Janeiro 178 governments voted for this program’s adoption. From this moment the US services of environment protection at the projects’ peer reviews check them for correspondence with requirements stated in «Agenda-XXI». Those who don’t agree with the problem of global warming and don’t meet the conditions of «Agenda-XXI» can be reckoned to the humanity enemies. This will lead not only to mass-media criticism but to the real economic sanctions. This is the task №3 and its fulfillment.

Ideas represented to a public at large in «Agenda-XXI» have been published in the book called «First global revolution». In fact, this is report of the Roman Club for a quarter of a century’s

«Struggle for nature» to consciousness and soul In 1992 world scale organization «Green cross» was created. The founder and president was the greatest Judas of today – Mikhail Gorbachev. Having demolished the Soviet Union, Gorby set to demolition of personality outlook foundations, turning ecology into ersatz of religion. He affirms that Ten Commandments are not urgent anymore: «Ten Commandments became obsolete. They will be substituted to 16 principles of the Earth Charter». In 1996 he stated: «Space is my god; nature is my god».

Antidumping surprise for Ukraine If Ukraine and the EU after all sign the documents about creation of «comprehensive free trade zone with the EU», Ukrainian goods all the same won’t get to the European markets. The EU representatives have repeatedly hinted at discrepancy of labor and ecologic legislation of Ukraine to the «European standards». In reality there is a surprise prepared for Ukraine – goods won’t be admitted to the markets because of their understated cost derived from emoluments understating (on average 1,61 euro per hour in Ukraine and, for

In reality there is a surprise prepared for Ukraine – goods won’t be admitted to the markets because of their understated cost derived from emoluments understating and low charges for ecological programs example, 39,3 euro per hour in Belgium) and low charges for ecological programs compared to charges in the European countries. Antidumping investigations can be conducted eternally.

Juvenile justice By similar methodology all around the planet they introduce juvenile justice (JJ). Noble intentions to protect children from injustice and violence turn into technologies of human society foundations destruction. Elements of totalitarian dictatorship in individual state are prevention of possible centers

our conditions this also can become the way to deprive estate from underprivileged families.

It is interesting that in compliance with JJ requirements you don’t have right to impose information on a child.

For example, to tell that you and your ancestors were orthodox believers (Catholics, Muslims, Jews etc), that your family doesn’t accept the idea of samesex marriages, that you assess historic events this or that way. This can be considered as a pressure on a child. But at the same time you don’t have right to deprive your kid of access to information sources including the Internet.

In society consisting of humanoid vegetables, heroic deeds of Brest fortress and Stalingrad defenders can exist only in history textbooks. The country with such electorate can be occupied with the help of beer and chips, social networks, iphones and light drugs (which, according to JJ, aren’t welcomed but are not condemned).

Online education The importance of integration of any human individual into the World Wide Web can scarcely be overestimated. At the end of 2011 Shimon Peres reminded about this on the 8th Yalta annual meeting: «…As for democracy. They (young people – author) say: if I’m young <…> I wish to follow my own way. I don’t want to be associated with the past, with old people. Young people are individualists, they don’t need the government – they have their iphones. The government in the pocket, all information they wish to get today is in the pocket. <...> When you live in a poor country and don’t use «Facebook» and the Internet realizing that the entire world is poor – this is all right. But when young people have these means of communication and see that some countries have freedom and some of them don’t, they also begin to answer the questions. <...> They don’t want to listen to stories about the past. They think that nobody needs these lessons». According to the logic of Shimon Peres, the government is of no need today. But what government and who doesn’t need it? The government of Kaddafi in Libya and of Asad in Syria is of no need for USA and their allies, but not to the Libyan and Syrian people.

The government of Kaddafi in Libya and of Asad in Syria is of no need for USA and their allies, but not to the Libyan and Syrian people of resistance to «colored revolutions».

Under the mask of protection of children from violence in families even in such highly-developed democratic country like France they deprived from parents and forcedly sent to asylums, according to different data, from 2 to 4 million children! The reason of separation with mother can be even «suffocating love». But often the reason becomes the low level of family’s life. In Russia to 2012 the agencies of guardianship separated about 200 children from their families. In Ukraine such practice hasn’t taken root for the present but the attempts of juvenile legislation introduction are constantly realized. But in Ukraine 24% of families, where both adults work, live on the breadline. In

«Twitter revolutions» In social networks it’s easy to give appearance of an organized public opi­ nion. It is easy to coordinate actions of organizers of events on the streets and squares being in any part of the world, and make moves of «humanitarian terror» against individual politicians.

Attempts to put the Internet under control in various countries (Byelorussia, China, Iran, etc) excite blames of harmonious chorus of «democratic community» representatives from the countries with «developed democracy».

And local manual NGO network echoes them.

Application of social networks with the purpose of legal authorities’ overthrow proved to be effective.

www.thekievtimes.ua

INTERNATIONAL RELATIONS

of 11% of Libya oil export. Division of Sudan and constant threat of civil war between the North and the South, between these already independent territories, makes the future of 15 million dollars of Chinese investments very hazy. Sudan has 7% of Chinese oil import, and this makes 60% of its export.

Nigeria, which is directed by skillful

7

Republic hasn’t supported the idea of Barak Obama stated of the 1st of December 2009 during his speech in the military academy in West-Point. USA not being interested by opinion of the Pakistan management independently decided what way «collaboration» with this country in connection with operation in Afghanistan would follow: «USA

Almost all countries that got under the road roller of «Arab spring» as well as Pakistan began from the noble idea – struggle with corruption and necessity of reforms

PAKISTAN: ANOTHER «COLOR REVOLUTION» REPETITION In the middle of January 2013 Pakistan was the center of events that remained without proper assessment in mass media. However they have all features of new «color revolution» and all necessary preconditions for transformation into the new local conflict. And for the first time – on the territory of the nuclear state Alexander Dudchak

March of the millions According to informational agencies’ data, «hundreds of people came out to remonstrate to the government on the 15th of January in the center of Islamabad». The protest participants occupied central part of the capital of Pakistan, having announced about democratic revolution start. The leader of the march required retirement of the country’s top management, the parliament’s dissolution, and conduct of radical political reform. The key idea is «conduct of radical political reform in the country with the purpose of total corruption eradication in the power’s highest echelons that allows 70% of the deputies not to pay taxes, as well as return of democracy yields to 99% of the country’s citizens».

Either by force of habit or according to common instruction this action was called the «march of the millions».

However, as usual «the millions» were exaggerated – in this particular case approximately by twenty times.

Half-revolution hasn’t led to removal of the legitimate power yet. But the current situation can quite be called the general rehearsal of something bigger. Almost all countries that got under the road roller of «Arab spring» as well as Pakistan began from the noble idea – struggle with corruption and necessi-

90 countries of the world including USA and Europe. He has been living in Canada and the Great Britain for many years and recently (on the 23d of December 2012) returned to Pakistan. And although revolution hasn’t happened yet, its leader already offered his personal «color» coding - «green, national, and peaceful revolution».

Road strewed with rose leafs Unlike the majority of «Arab spring» revolutions, the Pakistan events’ organizers don’t even try to represent them as spontaneous national indignation.

The procession began on the 13th of January in Lahore city – the capital of Punjab province. It was started from a prayer, after which the first participants at the amount of 6–7 thousand people took their seats in previously prepared two hundred (!) buses and a hundred and fifty (!) motor cars and made about 300 kilometers. The column also included three tanks with fuel, special vehicle for liquidation of possible obstacles on the road, cars with food for participants and gas equipment for its cooking, toilets, beddings, etc.

The column has been happily and in an organized way met by prepared locals who strewed the road with rose leafs, as well as the joined idlers. Para­ doxically the movement of doctor Ta-

As a result of Iraq war Chine had to say goodbye to 8 billion of dollars of this country’s state debt accumulated by the government of Saddam Hussein ty of reforms. In Pakistan they require to implement reforms in the country’s electoral system.

Struggle with extremisms has been added as the local specific. This is not less noble idea, which similar to the struggle with corruption will be readi­ ly supported by the «world’s society».

In Pakistan there is real intolerance in relation to religious minority groups – Hindus, Christians, Shiah-Muslims, and sectarians-ahmadits. In this case the struggle with extremism is a great idea of attracting of religious minority groups to the «fighting» people.

The leader of «opposition» Essential distinction of possible Pakistan scenario from revolutions in Tunis, Libya, Egypt, and current war against Syria lies in presence of the leader from the very beginning of the protests. Doctor Tahir-ul-Kadri has become (or was appointed?) this leader.

In other countries the leader of «opposition» - a person, whom it would be possible to negotiate with or whom the West could call the representative of the national power, usually appeared on later stage – the stage of disturbances and fights with the army and the police.

Sheikh-ul-Islam professor, doctor Muhammad Tahir-ul-Kadri is the founder and the leader of «Minhaj-ulQur’an International» - the movement of pilgrims in defense of Qur’an, organization with subsidiaries in more than

hir-ul-Kadri for several weeks acquired wide popularity. Among opposition.

And owing to very powerful (and probably not very cheap) advertising campaign, which was conducted with the help of administration resource of the same opposition. By approaching to the destination place the amount of «green, national, and peaceful revolution» participants was increasing.

Simultaneously with entry of the columns to Islamabad the Supreme Court of Pakistan ordered to arrest the country’s prime-minister Raja Pervez Ashraf and 15 politicians charged with corruption. In addition to other circumstan­ ces this caused collapse of exchange quotations on the largest stock market of Pakistan in Karachi – the stocks of several companies crashed down by 450 points.

The consensus and peaceful declaration However the actions «against corruption, thieves in the parliament, incompetence of the country’s authorities, and removal of money outside Pakistan», like the events’ participants defined their goals, are gradually peacefully finished. In contempt of shooting near the building of Pakistan parliament and skirmishes with the police, on the 17th of January Tahirul-Kadri and the government signed an agreement, and this agreement’s contents haven’t been disclosed yet. This agreement was signed by signature of

prime-minister Raja Pervez Ashraf.

Obviously, they simply hadn’t time to arrest him. According to the minister of information Kaman Zaman Kaira, before signature of some declaration both parties «reached a consensus» at all points.

Peaceful end of national disturban­ ces is another distinction of previous revolutions from the events in Pakistan.

Complete fulfillment of requirements or readiness to fulfill requirements of «opposition» by official authorities in Libya, Syria, Egypt, etc wasn’t the reason for cancellation of the «event».

In contempt of any offers of the mentioned countries’ authorities for satisfaction of demonstrators’ requirements the «opposition» required unreserved removal of the current management and creation of transitional government.

There is no doubt in continuation of Pakistan «green revolution». «Struggle with corruption» is a tinned product, which can be kept long and used when necessary. Corruption like the struggle with it existed at all times and under all regimes. Its transformation into ori­ ginal and effective tool of «color revolutions» happened in recent years and was used in all countries where «Arab spring» revolutions took place.

It isn’t important why «green» Pakistan revolution conceded. It isn’t important what Tahir-ul-Kadri is waiting for – the command from above or does he count for a peaceful delegation of power to the forces standing behind it and in terms determined by the nearest election. Definitely, the organizers of «Arab spring» need prolongation. In this case the purpose of this prolongation will be the attempts to change foreign-policy course of Pakistan.

Eternal motives Many plotlines are interlaced in «Arab spring» of 2011–2013: struggle for resources, both for natural and geopolitics ones; liquidation of the countries with stable growth rates or at least liquidation of these growth rates; elimination of Libyan Jamahiriya for exclusion of establishment of precedent for the country’s withdrawal from above the global financial institutions’ control; preparation of aggression against Iran; destruction of Syria; inhibition of China growth rates, etc.

According to revelations of Henry Kissinger in his talk with the reporter of American The Daily Squib of the 27th of November 2011: «The United States weaken China and Russia, and the last nail in the coffin cover would become Iran…»; «Control oil and you’ll control countries; control food and you’ll control people»; «We told our soldiers that we needed to conquer seven countries in the Middle East to get their resources. The work has almost been done. <...> There is a last step – Iran – which completely will change the balance. <...> We will build a new society from ashes; the only one superpower shall remain, and the world government shall win. Don’t forget that USA has better weapon, and we have such

things that nobody has at all. And we’ll demonstrate when the time comes».

The same sincerely about events of «Arab spring» but in hand of republican Paul Craig Roberts (the famous economist, currently the analytic of the Hoover institute, in times of president Ronald Reagan was the deputy of the minister of finances of USA, father of «Reaganomica», the knight of the Legion of Honors): «We don’t want to overthrow the government of Bahrain or Saudi Arabia, where both governments practice violence against protesters, because they are our puppets, and we have large naval base in Bahrain. We wish to overthrow Kaddafi in Libya and Asad in Syria; because we wish to drive China and Russia out of the Mediterranean <...> China realized large-scaled energetic investments on the east of Libya and relies upon it together with Angola and Nigeria concerning its energetic needs. This is an attempt of USA to refuse resources to China, like in thirties Washington and London refused resources to Chinese ».

On the post-Soviet territories unfolding of the flag of struggle with corruption coincided with appointment in January 2012 to the position of US ambassador in Russia of mister Mackfall – famous specialist for nonviolent methods of legitimate powers’ overthrow, the author of many works devoted to this subject. Struggle with corruption is his big theme.

What Pakistan has to do with this?

The role of Pakistan in opposition to USA and China is one the most important ones.

China growth rates really strike. Sevenfold growth of GDP per head from 750 dollars in 1995 to 5300 in 2012, second place in the world after USA on volume of GDP and its growth continuation, impetuous development of the military capacities, and huge human resources – these are the indicators of the real threat for the United States dominating.

Undoubtedly USA is perfectly informed about openly declared plans of China. In 2002 on the XVI meeting or the Communistic party of China there was established the task «to start the new stage of economic growth», «to overcome growing disproportions in development of the territories, as well as cities and villages, and pass the state and society from the passive political-economic phase to the active one for a breakthrough to China world triumph», assigned for 2019.

To reduce China growth rates is possible by restricting its access to resources. With the help of wars and revo­ lutions of the recent years the State managed to do this only partially.

As a result of Iraq war Chine had to say goodbye to 8 billion of dollars of this country’s state debt accumulated by the government of Saddam Hussein.

War in Libya cost China 18,8 billion dollars of losses and liquidation of job places abroad for 30 thousand of Chinese oilmen. To the beginning of the war in 2011 China had the share

strategists to the way of Sudan, also develops collaboration with China – 4 billion dollars of 25 billion of planned investments are already drawn. But there are disturbances in Nigeria: NorthSouth – Muslims-Christians, seizure of hostages, shooting by Islamists from «Boka Haram» («Black Taliban») of civilians, pirates, separatists, IMF instructions provoking impoverishment of the population…

For provision of growing demands of central-Asian regions in energy resources they consider plans of building of two new pipelines – Turkmenia – Afghanistan – Pakistan – India (TAPI) and Iran – Pakistan – India (IPI). The first one in contempt of the war in Afghanistan in 2012, after 15 years of negotiations, received definite perspectives – in May 2012 the agreement about gas delivery via this pipeline was signed in Turkmenia. The second one shall become possible in case of war in Iran.

Both have to pass through Pakistan.

The gas project Iran – Pakistan is being developed and the Pakistan management states about their resolution at any price cancel building of the pipeline from Iran. And this is what China is also very interested in – Pakistan is important as a reliable transiter of Iran carbohydrates to China.

China is sure that sooner or later the plans of pipelines building shall be realized. No matter what pipeline will be erected first, their central point will be the Gwadar port in Pakistan province Belujistan. This is the largest sea port of the region. It was built by China in 2002–2005, and officially opened in spring 2007. The general development plan to 2055 foresees that its network capacity shall reach 350 million of loads per year. Pakistan has already granted China the status of the most favored nation, and in 2008 the countries signed «comprehensive agreement about free trade». From Pakistan China achieved the state guarantees of the Gwadar port use in its purposes in spite of USA protests. The port is located 400 kilometers from Strait of Hormuz, realizing about 40% of the world oil export. With Gwadar China fleet has got the home port, which shall easily allow controlling movement in the strait.

Besides, from China to Gwadar they are going to build a railway with the length of about 700 kilometers across the pass Hunjerab with the height of 4620 meters. Building of the railway shall allow China receiving double-sided corridor to Indian Ocean. This will give the possibility for tankers from Persian Gulf to avoid passing through dangerous Strait of Malacca (per-

will act with awareness that success in Afghanistan is inseparably connected with interaction with Pakistan. It is necessary to conduct work astride Afghan-Pakistan boarder».

Moreover, owing to mass media, particularly Fox News, in 2009 the plans of nuclear charges liquidation on the territory of Pakistan by American subdivisions located in Afghanistan became known.

They try to destabilize situation in Islamic Republic of USA by various means. They use provocations on the boarder with India – the ally of USA in the region, and breach of sovereignty by constant intrusions into the territories of Pakistan under the mask of pursuit and destruction without Talibs, who are in war with American contingent in Afghanistan.

And the apogee of Pakistan’s sovereignty ignorance has become destruction of mythic person – Osama Ben Laden. The fact of intrusion of US anti-terrorist units into the boarders of foreign state took place. And the fact that Ben Laden was real and that he was killed on the 2nd of May 2011 and his body was thrown to the sea isn’t really a fact. This was the reason to blame the former ally in complicity to terrorism.

Such actions provoked sharp reaction of Beijing. Official representative of Chinese Ministry of foreign affairs Tzyan Youy stated that «sovereignty and territorial integrity of Pakistan need to be respected <...> any attack to Pakistan shall be considered as an attack to China». Nobody allowed such ultimatums in direction to USA for several decades.

Feeling support of the powerful ally behind, the management of Pakistan is never at a loss for a word. From a speech of Yousaf Raza Gillani (the prime-minister of Pakistan from March of 2008 to June of 2012) in the parliament of Pakistan: «Let me say very clear. Any encroachment on Pakistan strategic assets shall openly or secretly meet correspondent response… Pakistan remains the right to take complete measure. Nobody should underestimate resoluteness and ability of our people and armed forces in defense of our sacred Homeland. <...> We are proud that China is our best and the most loyal friend. Let China know that Pakistan is always around. When we talk about friendship that is higher than Himalayas and deeper than the ocean – this is reality». Socially widespread opinion is also confirmed by words of Talad Masud, the retired general of the Pakistan army: «China is behind us, we are not alone; one of superpowers is with us».

In 2012 Pakistan and China concluded agreement about increase of double-sided interaction in the sphere of defense fect target for terrorists and is easily blocked in case of an armed conflict: the length of the strait makes 850 km, the narrowest place is 2,5 km long, and the shallowest is 25 meters long).

China and Pakistan – Frien dship Indigenously China considered itself the Celestial Empire, the Middle Kingdom, and all countries and nations surrounding them – barbarians. And today Chinese foreign policy as a rule differs by high level of pragmatism. Symbiosis of China and Pakistan is also based upon mutual need in each other, on common goals and common enemies.

These counties are united neither by common culture, nor similar language, nor religion.

Nevertheless, the reverent attitude of China to Pakistan is explained not only by strict pragmatics. Pakistan was one of the first states that acknowledged Republic of China. In contempt of a definite isolation of China in 60–70s’ of the last century Pakistan remained its reliable ally and partner – exactly when this was extremely important for China. And this hadn’t been forgotten.

China shared nuclear technologies with its neighbor, helped to create both nuclear weapon and the means of its delivery. These two countries mutually develop various types of high-technology weapon including fighters.

«This friendship is deeper than the oceans and higher than the mountains.

We are going to consolidate this friendship in future», – said the president of Pakistan in 2005 concerning friendship with Republic of China.

In contempt of low level of living, Pakistan is the important market for any partner – the country’s population exceeded 190 million people. This equals to Ukrainian and Russian populations taken one with another. But this collaboration is beneficial first of all to Pakistan – with the help of Republic of China the country realizes the projects of roads building, energetic development and much more.

In 2012 Pakistan and China concluded agreement about increase of double-sided interaction in the sphere of defense.

Annoyance of USA Such mutuality of these countries can’t not to annoy USA. It has a ha­ bit to punish everybody who dares to develop collaboration with his main competitor. In addition to collaboration with American enemy in recent years Pakistan created problems for USA operation conducted in Afgha­ nistan. The management of Islamic

(US, Pakistan Near Open War; Chinese Ultimatum Warns Washington Against Attack) Attempts to check the nerves of the country’s management and durability of Pakistan air-to-air defense have become too persistent in May 2011. To the protests of the Pakistan authorities and requirements to avoid repetition of the incident with American special unit’s intrusion, as it happened with «murder» of Ben Laden, the special representative of USA for Afghanistan and Pakistan Mark Grossman stated that Pakistan officials had never required respect to their boarder and let this remain invariable.

Meanwhile, the Indian army conducted trainings near Pakistan boarder with participation of nuclear-biological-chemical fast response troops.

Similar to the methodology of application of mercenary riffraff in Libya against Libyan people and troops of Kaddafi, today in Syria there are created the reasons against people and the US army for possible constant terrorizing of Pakistan. With this purpose they create detachments of «Islamists», controllable and trained detachments for «Taliban», but acting under control of CIA and in the interests of USA. The former manager of the regional department of Interdepartmental intelligence of Pakistan, the retired team general Aslam Guman has commented these processes like this: «During my visit to USA I found out from one Israeli spy that Mossad in collusion with Indian agency RAW under direct management of CIA is going to destabilize Pakistan at any price. <...> According to the data of the Russian intelligence, the freelance employee of CIA Raymond Davis and his agents provided «al-Qaeda» with chemical, nuclear, and biological weapon, so now Pakistan can be accused in anything…». (CIA has created own Taliban to wreak terror havoc on Pakistan, claims Pak paper.)

This geopolitical «chat» on the highest level isn’t finished yet…

Simultaneously with the January events happening in the capital of Pakistan the provocations on the boarder with neighboring India hadn’t been stopped. According to the statement of Associated Press on the 22nd of January, authorities of the Indian state Jammu and Kashmir call the population to prepare for possible nuclear war, build bomb-shelters, and stock up water and food…

Obviously, USA in its impunity is finally getting mad. And the «world community» is now only guesses who will become the next victim.

8

SOCIETY

THE KIEV TIMES | MARCH, 2013

TELL ME WHAT YOU EAT AND I’LL TELL WHO YOU ARE Observations of a Ukrainian in Europe, to follow up for Ukrainian agrarians and Ukrainian authority Victoria Vlasenko, specially for The Kiev Times

N

ot so long ago I had an occasion to talk to one of the Ukrainian delegation members in negotiations with the EU that concerned text of the Agreement about free trade zone of Ukraine with the EU. He was trying to persuade me that Ukrainian agricultural production, especially meat and dairy, can’t compete with the European one.

Because the Ukrainian meat and dairy market consists of small sectors, which aren’t able to buy new equipment, fodder and advanced agricultural techno­ logies. «Do you understand that an old lady, who fills plastic bottle with milk and sells it in the market is a nonsense in Europe?», – he rhetorically questioned. And only after several years, having appeared in Strasburg I understood that the Ukrainian official was wrong: nobody is surprised with milk in plastic bottles at the French markets; moreover, it is very popular there.

Ukrainian déjà vu Small farm markets are located in almost every Strasburg district. My most favorite is on De la Marne Boulevard, near the Council of Europe and splendid Orangery Park planted by Napoleon in honor of his beloved Josephine.

Twice a week along five quarters of the Boulevard you can familiarize yourself with yield of French or more exactly Alsatian farming. By the way, in Alsace province with its fertile soils and special microclimate, which is formed

by Vosges Mountains, agriculture is extremely honored. And although its main item is viticulture, local fields aren’t built-up with cottage townships but are planted with maize, potato, asparagus, cabbage, and strawberries.

During one of my first visits of a nice market I noticed a queue that stretched to a modest wooden table covered by worn rubber shit. Having approached closer I saw that there were cheeses,­ loafs of dark rye bread, half-liter glass pots with natural yogurt and sour cream.

At that improvised stand I saw an elderly man in a brown jacket, who decant-

your mouth like a dust, and natural flavor of smoked meat isn’t killed with obtrusive notes of hot spices), and persuaded me to taste slices of homemade bread baked in authentic Alsatian oven. After our ten minutes’ conversation I’ve become an ardent follower of bio-production of local agriculture.

All that is from market is not bio Ukrainian consumers often think that products purchased at the market to endearing persuasions of the owner like «Take it! Everything is fresh, everything is home-made!» are automatically considered to be biologically clean.

But quite often after several days the market milk doesn’t turn sour, dividing into beautiful appetizing layers but becomes viscid and disgustingly bitter.

And taste of the purchased meat disappoints you. It is no secret that many village meat suppliers have quickly learnt that it is more profitable and cheaper to feed pigs for sale with special industrial food and separately for themselves – according to traditional ration.

In the EU countries only products grown and produced according to strictly determined EU regulations and standards are certified as bio products.

First of all, such certification stipulates non-application of pesticides and synthetic mineral fertilizers, growth regulators, artificial food additives, as well as absolutely excludes cultivation of genetically modified crops.

That’s why French farmers, who have passed on to biological methods, fight with plant pests on the fields with the help of special snares, as well as noise, light and ultrasound effects. And their cows, pigs and chickens have to eat only natural food that doesn’t contain preservatives and growth-promoting stimulants; they are forbidden to inject growth hormones and antibiotics as a preventive remedy of illnesses. Besides, the farmer has to provide real spa conditions for his animals – footloose and minimal stresses. And in the process of manufacturing of products it is for-

Kiev snatchers «heroically» fight with old women, who by force of habit still bring bottles with milk and packs with curds to ruins of the former capital Hay market ed milk from white plastic barrel with a cock to Vichy drinking water bottle. I was spellbound by that Ukrainian déjà vu and also queued. Milk, the freshest goat’s cheese and thick sour cream were excellent. Later it was found out that the owner, Monsieur Loran, perfectly spoken English, and once I chose a moment when there was nobody near his table and asked him how long he had been farming.

– Actually I’m a professor of microbiology and currently teaching in Strasburg University, – he disconcerted me. – The idea to do farming came to me about ten years ago. My ancestors owned a small farm within forty kilometers from Strasburg. Here, look, – Monsieur Loran pushed an unbroken circle of dark-yellow cheese up to me.

The cheese was marked with figure «1846». – Forms and presses we use to produce cheeses have been preserved on the farm ever since. And once I became keen on agriculture. On the farm we had ten cows, goats, pigs, and many sheeps. Initially I’ve chosen them food by myself, watched over animals’ health and produced cheeses. Then I gradually withdrawn from business and currently I merely help my partners to sell off our products in the city.

Monsieur Loran was fervently trying to persuade me that his entire production was manufactured of biologically clean raw materials. In details he told me about fat degree and age of cow’s, goat’s and sheep’s cheeses; allowed me to taste his smoked pork at 24 euro per kilogram (it doesn’t emit suspicious moisture, its fibers don’t crumble in

bidden to apply methods of refinement and mineralization, which are widely used in modern food industry because of their ability to reduce nutritional properties of food. It is unnecessary to mention that preservatives, artificial dyes and aromatizers are also big «NO» for bio-production.

In France there is a special brand, under which all bio-products are sold, – letters «АВ» (Agriculture biologique) surrounded by 27 EU green stars. The owner of this brand is the state. Foodstuffs can be marked with such logo only in that case if they contain not less than 95 percent of biological components, if they were planted or produced in the EU, and if they were certified in one of six of state structures specially made for this.

A tribute to the future generations 35-year-old housewife Anna, mother of six-month-old kid, tries to purchase only bio-products. She lives in a small village near Strasburg.

– Our market is tiny, and assortment is quite poor. We buy meat only at the farmer, who is a dealer at this market.

Although his meat isn’t really bio but it is fresh, and not imported on planes and ships, – she says. – Farmer, who sells vegetables and fruits, doesn’t offer bio-products, so I simply ignore it.

To buy vegetables, cereals, and chocolate we go to the store of bio-products network in the neighboring city. Sometimes we have to buy things at usual store, which our family doesn’t really like and always tries to leave it as quick as possible.

Specialized store of Photo&Video technics in the center of Kiev Mikhaylovskaya street, 11, +380 44 205-40-30 www.abcphoto.com.ua

The Ministry of agriculture of France under national programme of environment protection national prog­ ramme has determined the following task: to the year 2020 to bring volumes of farms, which keep correspondent bio-standards, to 20 percent rate (currently there are 4 percent of such farms in the country). One of the main stimuli driving farmers to do environmentally friendly farming (according to a poll conducted by young newspaper «Monde») is civil consciousness

the mountains, so their hair is warm.

My cows several times won prizes on national and all-European exhibitions.

Visit our store, my wife will show you everything.

In a tiny store it was hard to resist the temptation to taste and buy almost the whole range. Madam Miriam, having found out that we were from Strasburg, said that on their farm’s website we could order home delivery of a milk-basket at the price of 12 euro. The basket included one liter of milk, two

There is a special brand, under which all bio-products are sold – letters «АВ» (Agriculture biologique) surrounded by 27 EU green stars and public expectations. Today the pernicious influence of recent agra­ rian methods on the environment is too evident, and people clearly realize that their kids’ and grandkids’ health strongly depends on their choice.

– Me and my husband buy bio-pro­ ducts and firmly believe that the majority of our fellow citizens must do the same. And the matter isn’t only health, although this is undoubtedly one the most important reasons, – Anna says.

– This way society has to encourage farmers, who, having passed to biolo­ gically clean methods of farming, don’t pollute the environment.

But 40-year-old Italian Samantha, who lives and works in Strasburg, thinks that bio-production is a large soap bubble.

– Me and my friends have discussed this subject many times and think that it is simply impossible to cultivate completely biological products in the modern world. And if, for example, bio-farmer doesn’t use pesticides, his fields are located near farms that sprinkle plants with chemicals. This refers water, air, and soil.

Fresh milk with home delivery «Hay makes 95 percent of my cows’ winter ration, and five percent – refined grain, – Monsieur Gerard has told me.

Gerard is the owner of a cow bio-farm «Lindgrub» located 50 kilometers from Strasburg, in Vosges Mountains on the height of 600 meters above sea level. – Our farm leases 67 hectares of mountain meadows where cows pasture in summer and where we store up food for winter». A cowhouse where there are about 50 cows and a score of bull calves really smells like fresh hay. I appeared at the farm as the day drew on, right at the cows’ supper. The farmer scattered dried grass from a huge roll between animals with the help of a pitchfork. Troughs had large salt crystals attached: they serve like cow sugarplums. Stalls are designed to let the cows freely move around the whole cowhouse. «Here is their bathroom, – Monsieur Gerard showed me a corner with shower hoses. – And this is large electrical roll-brush. When it rotates, it serves both as a sponge and massage».

Smiling owner proudly examined black and white cows with hair slightly longer than Ukrainian cows have.

– This is our breed – Vosges milk cow, – explained the farmer. – There is often frost, wind, and snowstorms at

hundred grams of hard natural cheese, six jars of yogurt, two hundred grams of sour cream, and half a kilogram of curds. At parting she treated kids with milk, and adults with a cup of quirsh – local 45-percent cherry moonshine.

Price or quality?

I tried to question Monsieur Gerard about grants and profitability of his family business but he sidestepped the direct answer. Although state grants are additional serious factors stimulating French farmers to introduce clean technologies. Grants to the farms that passed to biological standards are paid during first five years. By the way, the farmers don’t have to spend money on fertilizers and pesticides. And although, for example, productivity without crops chemical treatment falls approximately at 25–40 percent, price of biological products at the average twice higher than usual.

– Although in selection of products the decisive factor for me is quality first and then the price. The idea to pay more just because, as an inscription affirms, the products are bio ones looks quite absurd for me, – Samantha smiled. – That’s why I buy vegetables at our market where usual farmers from neighboring farms offer their products.

Strasburg has a network of supermarkets that, to my opinion, sell dairy products of high quality. As for meat and hard cheeses I buy them in small, experience and time-tested stores.

By the way, to buy only local pro­ ducts is another main rule of the French product shopping. Both in supermarket and at the market every table with price of this or that product contains information about country of origin.

For example, my favorite farm market consists of two parts: Arab and French.

The majority of range on the Arab part is represented on huge colorful layouts with vegetables and fruits from all over the world. I personally don’t know the titles and directions for use of some peculiar fruits. But although prices at swarthy white-toothed dealers are considerably lower than the French part offers, they readily make sales and serve the customers with overweight.

However, real Strasburg residents don’t stop near these stalls.

– I’d rather buy a slice of Alsatian pumpkin for a pie in winter, than Turkish strawberries or Chili bilberries, – considers 68-year-old former teacher Matilda. – Then I can be absolutely

sure that pumpkin isn’t stuffed with nitrates, that it wasn’t sprinkled with chemicals to get it to the market safe and sound. As for strawberries, I can eat them in summer.

Choice we are loosing It is hard for Frenchman to choose between farm bio-products and food from supermarket also because the quality of products even from usual affiliated stores with average price level is really high there. This can be felt immediately after you taste yogurt or baguette with cheese and ham for the first time in France. I think I won’t be mistaken if I say that if Frenchman found palm oil in their cheeses or saw that the level of fat stated on a dairy butter pack is lower than 82 percent, this would excite just another revolution. Food culture is very high in this country, and its quality is an unreserved notion. Those, who encroach on it, are equal to a state criminal; and people who feed the country were always highly honored in France. That’s why professor of microbiology, who sells milk at the market, draws respect as a continuer of ancient traditions and family business.

In Ukraine that passed through all circles of collectivization and holodomor hell, the Soviet power so cruelly destroyed tillers and cultivators and so incompetently driven the villager to the very bottom of a social scale, that noble work on land is still considered to be unattractive for middle and younger population of Ukrai-

nians. We are told that the markets are vestiges of the past; that the European Union purchases things exclusively in sterile supermarkets; and Kiev snatchers «heroically» fight with old women, who by force of habit still bring bottles with milk and packs with curds to ruins of the former capital Sennoy market.

Policemen fight with them more successfully than with land corruption or raiders. The amount of these old ladies is diminishing, and there are nearly no cows in the neighboring Kiev villages…

A French family that considers whether to buy products with labeling «bio» or as usual purchase things in ordinary supermarkets, makes a choice not in favor of its gustatory sensations or for saving reasons. This rather can be called the civilization choice. Because popularity of clean agriculture in the European Union not only among farmers but the population too will considerably influence choice of the development course made by modern Europe. Ukrainians are deprived of this choice. And we lose our genetic connection with the land that was laid by our Trypillian ancestors with every closed market displaced by another trade and entertainment center, every broken farmer who has never get promised state subsidies, with every meadow, where recently cows and goats were pastured, given over to another «elite settlement». Unfortunately it is quite real that soon Ukrainians will be able to taste fresh milk only if they buy a tourist voucher to one of the European Union’s countries.

www.thekievtimes.ua

SOCIETY

TRUE STORY ABOUT CHERNOBYL

these years after the accident. It is still unknown where are about 70% of fuel-containing masses of 4th block reactor. The level of particulates in reactor hall was and is on the level of 7,3 MBq per cubic meter for alpha and 619 МBq per cubic meter for beta-radiating nuclides. But when the hall was opened, the wind blew in the opposite direction.

It reached London. We had to remove and bury polluted soil near Chernovtsy.

Matvey Levin

he destruction area made about 600 square meters. In spite of the fact that from the moment of the accident enough time has passed, the country still isn’t informed about reasons of the accident and persons responsible for it. The representatives of Chernobyl nuclear power plant also prefer not to expatiate on possible consequences trying to persuade us that everything is under control and radiation background is normal. However experience shows that in such situations it isn’t worth to trust CNPPs management. The editorial staff decided to check what has really happened in Chernobyl. One of the engineers, who have been working in Zone for more than ten years, became the interlocutor of The Kiev Times. He explained us why foreign specialists left Chernobyl in spite of normal radiation background and controlled situation,

hang on the columns. Direct reason of cover slabs fall is metal truss’s buckling.

Truss deformed, slabs slid down from the upper boom of the truss and fell inside the machine hall. Slabs fell with warp on its way having broken several upper wall panels, which collapsed outside. The following days several more wall panels came down too.

The reason of trusses’ buckling hasn’t been officially announced yet. Particularly they consider version of vibration influence of technological equipment working nearby on the New Safe Confinement (NSC) building.

However it seems that everything is simpler. The matter is that roof slabs of machine hall are covered with so called lightweight roofing. They are large me­ tal cases covering radiated waste (pieces of graphite from the active zone) that got to machine hall roofing after 4th

Described cases are 1,5 meter height.

They create favorable conditions for snow accumulation, and winter this year was snowy, several days before 12th of February the snow was falling in big flakes. Probably, snow pressure (the snow was wet and heavy) exceeded permissible load and truss lost stability.

As regards responsibility, companies’ calculating inspections are executed by Research Institute of Structures.

Who worked in a machine hall? Are consequences of the accident currently being liquidated?

Nobody worked in the machine hall on the regular basis. Machine hall is not used, much polluted and is subject to dismantling only under the lee of NSC (New Safe Confinement). The machine hall from time to time was visited by expert organizations’ employees in con-

NBK project received above 2 billion dollars of assignation. Misappropriation in this project is out of the question. The entire management is double; co-directors are from the western and our sides and why the compatriots who stayed in the city are working in conditions of heightened safety.

Tell us from the very beginning.

What has happened and why?

On the 12th of February 2013 one bay of 4th CNPP block machine hall crumbled. Machine hall’s cover is made of 3х6 meter ribbed slabs, which lean upon metal 18-meter trusses. Trusses are installed on ferroconcrete columns. Wall barrier of machine hall is made of 6 meters long claydite-concrete panels that

CNPP block’s explosion and weren’t removed by soldiers in 1986 by reason of high radiation background – to 5 Roentgen per hour only from external irradiation (gamma), not considering alpha and beta particles (we would remember that CNPPs management declared that there weren’t nuclear waste disposals in machine hall – ed.). The content of radiated particulates for alpha and beta radiating nuclides in machine hall air makes 0,03 Bq (Becquerel) per 1 cubic meter of air that is 188 times more than behind the wall near machine hall.

nection with the necessity to erect new separating walls along axis «38-40» and «64-66». Last inspection group left machine hall in 4 minutes before collapse.

They went for lunch.

On Thursday, 21st of February, any liquidating works weren’t conducted yet. On Tuesday machine hall was inspected from outside by representatives of designing and scientific organizations – «Atomenergoproject», Research Institute of Structures, Shimanovskiy «Projectstalconstrukcii» and «Institute of nuclear stations security problems»

of NAS of Ukraine. They promise to publish the conclusion next week.

Was it possible to prevent the accident and who had to handle this?

Can we call this incident a criminal negligence?

It was possible to prevent the accident. Snowdrifts on the roof were also visible outside machine hall. And the CNPP deputy director for safety has already taken the blame on himself (live on TV).

Danger threatens only those who work in exclusion zone, or there are conditions leading to suffering of other populated places?

The main threat is a distribution of radiated particulates in the air. After collapse of a part of the roofing the concentration of particulates in the air of

machine hall increased in connection with radiated waste dust formation.

Who finances the building in subdivision land and particularly building of the New Safe Confinement?

Works are financed by EBRD from Chernobyl fund filled by donor-countries. Also they are financed by various projects including NBK. Uttered purposes are the help for Ukraine in consequences liquidation. Unuttered ones are to gain experience, receive focus of activities for the western companies, and demonstrate the opponents (in their country) of nuclear energy –«granolas» - ability to cope with critical situations.

NBK project received above 2 billion dollars of assignation. Misappropriation in this project is out of the question. The entire management is double; co-directors are from the western and our sides. Lawyers, managers, and accountants are all foreigners and in the western legal field. Auxiliary Ukrainian staff – interpreters, drivers, and system engineers – works in outsourcing western company TMS that has Ukrainian subsidiary. All actions of financial character require «non-objection» of EBRD.

It is still unknown where are about 70% of fuel-containing masses of 4th block reactor Snow, wet weather, then frost, absence of winter – all these prevent distribution of particulates. Dry warm weather with the wind usually favors. Distance of emission distribution depends on size of a hole, through which the air streams from machine hall will be distributed. For the present the size of emission can reach the length of several hundreds kilometers. I.e. if the wind will be northwest with speed of 4m/s it will reach Kiev.

Generally the level of threat from CNPP was constantly high during all

What do they say to those workers who remained in Zone? What security measures do you take?

People were informed. There are no unauthorized persons on CNPP industrial sites and in 10-kilometers zone. Control over compulsory use of special marked cloths in Zone as well as masks and filters for breathing on CNPP industrial area and public area was strengthened. Staff is restricted to walk along the industrial area. All this is indicative of serious attitude to the emerging threat.

SPRING EXACERBATION: TO UNDERSTAND AND FORGIVE Low season, particularly the early March is the time when rough grin of reality starts to appear from under the snowy placatory pastoral. Works of the «territory cleanup» are added not only for yardmen but psychoanalysts too. As a spring exacerbation of spiritual illnesses isn’t a medical legend but the proved fact. The Ukrainian realities are the brightest example Olga Medvedeva

Photo UNIAN

to do. The deputies tried to conduct a piquet near the building of the European Council in Brussels: «Ukrainians share European values!» and «Freedom to Julia!». But to hold mass-meetings in Europe is not to wear vyshyvanka to the Rada. In half an hour the representatives of the Belgian police came to the picketers, who hadn’t been let into the building, and forced them to cancel the action. «They took our diplomatic passports away. And it isn’t clear where is democracy here», – complained Briginets. Nevertheless, soon the protesters got their passports back and received explanation of misunderstanding. The matter was that in the center of European civilization the actions should be agreed with authorities in advance.

And local journalists noted that there wasn’t the European Council’s guard who called the police, but the embassy of Ukraine in Brussels. «Policemen were very tolerant and supported our requirements as the protesters. But because the action hasn’t been registered, they had to stop it», – wrote Briginets on his page on Facebook.

Trick fell flat For a long time we didn’t hear anything about freedom of speech in the country. But nature abhors a vacuum – colleagues from «Focus» (Trick) magazine have pretty scared the community by rumors about political oppressions of free press. Thus, Mustafa Nayem, who «sympathies» to the publication, announced on his page on Facebook that the last issue of «Focus» magazine from the 21st of February, was withdrawn from sale in all distribution points in Ukraine. And this is because of the texts that compromise the authorities. The central materials of the issue were four main articles devoted to the 3d anniversary of the presidency of Victor Ya-

in speed began to write that a trick with «evils» that withdrew the circulation was played many times. «There is full of such revelations. But after such elegant move «Focus» will immediately become the most important and influential for public opinion. They say the authorities are afraid...», «The reason of withdrawal: PR of the magazine, which isn’t interesting for Ukrainians. Advertisement and income will cover the withdrawal.

As for the «authority’s hand» it is up in the air», – these are some quotations of hundreds of commentaries. Later on the management of the magazine explained the situation by technologic defect at production of the layout. And the issue

An average driver pays 1400 hryvnas per year for Ukrainian roads nukovich. Mainly that was information about wages of staff of the head of the state. First, electronic version of the publication has disappeared from public access, and a little bit later the weekly magazine supposedly was withdrawn from realization all around Ukraine.

«Laymen» had been barely terrified about what happened when the social networks and blog-sphere burst with disclaimers. Internet-users competing

with sensational «super-scandal» materials can be bought in any underground passage.

Brussels democracy Ukraine-EU summit is a great occasion to remind Europe once again about «unprotected prisoner of the blood regime» Mrs. Timoshenko. That’s what the deputies of «Batkivschina» Andrei Pavlovsky and Alexander Briginets tried

Hunt for Martians Hunt for Martians However, Julia isn’t the one… The list of imprisoned famous people can be suddenly added with ex-mayor of Kiev Leonid Chernovetsky.

The police started to investigate the case where the abovementioned politician and the pastor of the «Embassy of God» Sunday Adeladja are figuring.

Chernovetsky is suspected in complicity in disappearance of businessman Stepan Kroytor in 1997. To this sound immediately joined detective agency «Melnichenko and partners». Nikolay Melnichenko has personally informed about this to mass media. «Yes. We fight for this complicated, tangled and still unresolved case, and I think that we will manage to pull out skeletons that for a long time were kept in a wardrobe, – he said to the journalists. – We already have several cases with materials that prove connection between disappearance of Kroytor and activity of «Praveks Bank».

Kroytor’s disappearance has been informed by his wife, Alla Frolova, former housemaid of Chernovetsky’s family.

She supposes that ex-premier together with the pastor of the «Embassy of God» can be involved into this story. Chernovetsky himself called these statements of «mentally unbalanced woman criminal and crazy».

To protect and fondle Leonid Kuchma also can’t sleep quietly. The second president addressed with the open letter to the prime-minister of Ukraine Nikolay Azarov concerning distribution of false information

about his arrest in mass media. According to Kuchma, some days ago in the Internet appeared misinformation hurting his honor and dignity. Let us remember, that rumors spread after when the first deputy of the general prosecutor Renat Kuzmin announced in Moscow that he

ation saving, by the most humble calculations, is huge - 450 billion hryvnas.

But the establishment possesses incommensurably smaller assets: only about 15 billion hruvnas, lion’s share of which will be spent for repayment of the company’s debts. Meanwhile let us

The list of «sitting» famous people can be suddenly added with exmayor of Kiev Leonid Chernovetsky had enough proofs of Kuchma’s involvement to murder of Georgy Gongadze.

On the 20th of February little-known web-site Сrimelist.ru published information supposedly about arrest of the former president Leonid Kuchma at the airport «Kiev». Unconfirmed information was reprinted by a number of large Ukrainian and Russian online-editions.

The ex-president noted that distributing such information the interested people try to hit not only his image but the image of the entire Ukraine! What revolted the second president much is the fact that unchecked information was spread around inter alia by state agency «Ukrinform». «There is an impression that current management of «Ukrinform» either professionally useless or plays according to somebody’s dirty scenario. I hope, dear Nikolay Yanovich, you will be able to answer this question.

Because the world is finding out about events in our country and our power’s activity just from information of agency «Ukrinform», – Kuchma added.

In front of the whole planet What spring can be without asphalt that decorticates with the snow? This winter bet all records, and car-owners got such number of used-up roads they have never could think about. Situation has become so bad that our country impetuously «rolled in» the ten of states with the worst roads in the world. This is stated in the report of the global competitiveness, prepared by experts of the Global economic forum. The experts assessed Ukrainian roads by 2,3 of 7 points. In this list below Ukraine got only Gabon (2,3 points), Timor (2,2 points), Guinea (2 points), Mongolia (2 points), Romania (1,9 points), Haiti (1,8 points) and Moldova (1,5 points). According to «Ukrautodor», 90% of roads have repeatedly worked off their resource and need capital repair. Damage of Ukrainian roads reached 80% and every year increases by 10%; meanwhile, we build twice fewer roads than fall out.

In practice this means that under the absence of proper movements in the sphere of road building of Ukraine in 4 years the country won’t have operable roads. The sum necessary for the situ-

remind that an average driver pays 1400 hryvnas per year for Ukrainian roads.

And as a result gets one hole per every five meters of covering.

Plague on your two houses But the worst is still to come compared to the fact that there are prophecies about anthrax and plague epidemic in Kiev. According to the capital activists, erection of multistoried building

near Alexandrov hospital can become a reason for an outburst of forgotten illnesses. So, on the 28th of February the activists picketed the building of Supreme administrative court. The land on the former mortuary was handed over in 2003 by the Kiev council to company «Zhitlo-Bud» for building of housing estate. In 2010 the General prosecutor’s office and the court took the land away from the builder but in the middle of February the Supreme administrative court suddenly decided to examine the builders’ complain.

According to the words of protesters, the owner of building company «Zhitlo-Bud», the people’s deputy Ivan Kurovsky is going to erect a house on the place of the former mortuary, where in XIX century people buried hundreds of Kiev residents who died because of antrax. Medics warn that if to take away the layer of ground, Kiev can be attacked by epidemic of anthrax.

Photo UNIAN

Did people who resided in the nearest regions including Byelorussians were informed about threatening?

Everybody was notified in the zone.

I don’t know about Byelorussians. Fo­ reign contractors were in writing asked to temporarily take people away.

On the 12th of February Chernobyl reminded about itself again. There was an accident on the «Shelter» object – partial destruction of wall panels and part of lightweight roofing of machine block №4 above unattended premises

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POLITICS

THE KIEV TIMES | MARCH, 2013

ULTRARIGHTISTS IN EUROPE WITH UKRAINIAN IMPLICATION Global financial and economic crisis as some virus has agitated definite social processes in the world organism and these processes have been dozing over a matter of years. Revival and popularization of right-wing political movements is one of them Geostrategy global intelligence group

T

o the analysts’ opinion France is an ideal country for analysis of the si­ tuation with right-wing political movements. Nationalism was always a great strength in the French politics and protracted world financial and econo­mic crisis has become an ideal fueler for its active development continuation. During presidential elections of 2012 the right-wing party «National front» collected about 20% of votes that became

tion of ideological basis in the middle of 1980s’, which lay in the priority of immigration and rule of law subjects, the «National front» received its Frenchwide popularity. Thus in 1986, during another presidential elections conduct, the representative of the «National front» received 10% support of the electors’ votes. Today the ideological platform of this political force is generally based on four main principles.

To the end of XIX century the national paradigm became more ethnocentric and in some degree even anti-Semitic the record of the entire period of its existence. The central place in the party’s ideology was taken by theses that immigration threatens France national identity and that the European Union continues to considerably weaken French economy. If after «Arab spring» the level of immigration from the Middle East and Northern Africa remains high and the processes in French economy stay to be complex, popularity of the «National front» shall increase. This in the same measure also concerns other states of the EU. Apparently Ukraine also won’t be an exception.

What is really going on?

Of course there is nothing new in French nationalism. It originates from the great French revolution but in these later days it has considerably changed.

From the very beginning the nationalism in France was of liberal nature as it protected freedom, equality and human rights. To the end of XIX century the national paradigm became more ethnocentric and in some degree even anti-Semitic. During interwar period the French nationalism acquired definite anti-fascist and anti-communist elements and began to slightly remind ideologies of Spain, Italy and Germany.

During recent three decades the French nationalism actually was completely monopolized by the «National front» – one of the most successful national parties in Europe. The party was established in 1970s’ by Jean-Mary Le Pen who promoted anti-Semitic ideas and Catholic fundamentalism. It should be said in all fairness that the party hasn’t acquired national recognition and support at once. Only after correc-

First principle – the party consi­ders immigrants, especially Muslims, the main threat for national identity and national security of France. In this aspect the representatives of other nations and nationalities of Europe also catch a lot, especially Gypsies. SouthEuropean countries’ representatives including residents of Ukraine are also considered by the «National front» as malevolent elements. By the way, definite distrust and even annoyance can easily be noticed in France if you don’t speak or poorly speak French. The leaders of the «National front» consider that multi-culturalism has broken down and that today’s France is threatened not

principle – support of the French’s welfare and strict protection of national manufacturer that is a new direction of the right-wing French party. This principle demonstrates that the party ideology is an ongoing process – it develops along with the main global trends.

At the beginning of its existence the «National front» criticized high taxes and active interference of the state into economic processes as well as prosperity of French bourgeoisie against the background of low level of village residents’ living. However after 2000s’ the «National front» made some kind of ideological restyling and began to actively exploit thesis about economic protectionism and globalization processes widening. The «National front» considers that financial and immigration aspects of globalization destroy job sites and really threaten common French welfare. So, the «National front» gradually but confidently is turning into the national-populist party.

This political force’s reference to globalization conforms to fourth important principle of the political platform – criticism of the European Union as the powerful integration association.

The party supports secession of France from the Euro zone and insists on the necessity to return the native currency - Franc. By the way, until today almost

Europe anxiously took «Svoboda» acquisition of unprecedented high result on the last parliamentary elections in Ukraine by global crisis or terrorism but immigrants, especially Muslims. For such statements the representatives of the «National front» use quite simple statistic. Today France is a third European country by popularity for immigrants.

The largest amount of immigrants comes to France from the former French colonies – first of all from Algeria and Morocco. Therefore, France has got the largest percent of the Muslim population in Europe – about 8%.

Second principle – the «National front» defends law and order. The party calls not to practice tolerance in the struggle with organized crime and actively protects civil order. In different periods the «National front» associated crime with great amount of immigrants, especially Gypsies. Third

on all cash and bank vouchers of France there is a price analogue in Francs. The «National front» also opposes participation of France in the Schengen zone, which provides free movement of people within the Euro zone and categorically excludes any possibility of joining of Turkey to the European Union.

Electoral possibilities and restrictions for the «National front» Like many other right-wing parties of Europe, the «National front» strives to the whole widen its electoral base at the expense of the party’s domestic and international image improvement.

This isn’t a simple task. Especially since during decades the «National front» has been using very strict rhetoric in its activity. Nevertheless in several recent

years the party alleviated its anti-immigration position criticizing foreigners not by racial or religious principle but because they continue to take jobs away from indigenous French.

This strategy was continued in 2011 when Mary Le Pen replaced her father on the party’s leader position. Under her direction the «National front» image in mass media and among French electors was considerably improved.

Mary consciously dissociated herself

from the most radical party members and fired out everybody who was connected with neo-Nazi groups.

According to the results of presidential elections conducted in 2012 in France, such radical measures of Mary Le Pen did the party good. On these elections, which became the first ones for Mary’s political carrier, the «National front» showed the best results for its entire existence period. It managed to receive 17,9% of popular votes. In addition to the abovementioned reasons, such high result can be also explained by the fact that anti-European rhetoric and calls for economic protectionism become more and more popular among the French. While the majority of French political parties remain proEuropean ones, the «National front» managed to benefit from application of anti-European rhetoric. This became possible, first of all, due to the fact that consequences of global financial and economic crisis continue to undermine French economic.

In such circumstances there are good reasons to believe that popularity of the «National front» among the French will continue to grow; all the more that the overcoming of crisis is delayed. But in spite of definite optimism there is also a place for pessimism.

First of all, French electoral system works against the party. In France presi-

Foreign policy of Bucharest allows concluding that in the nearest future Romania will remain unfriendly country both for Ukraine and for Russia. Ukrainian mass-media repeatedly wrote about the Greater Romania doctrine (Romania Mare) but poorly reported the conceptual foundations of Greater Romanian idea and that intellectual basis, on which it is reposed Vladislav Gulevich

t is known what is the geopolitical essence of this doctrine – Moldavia absorption (ideally Pridnestrovye too) and seizure of part of the territory from Ukraine (Bukovina and Odessa region).

Let’s start from Moldavia. Declaring unoriginality of Moldavian national identity in relation to the Romanian one, Pan-Romanianists wish to «put the cart before the horse». In reality the formation we consider today the Romanian state 200 years ago was called Danubian principalities. After unification of principalities of so called Minor Association (Mica Unire) the world map acquired Romanian state; meanwhile some researchers ascribe authorship of the toponym «Romania» to Transylvania German Martin Falmer.

But while for hundreds of years before Romania appearance the Romanians’ geopolitical subjectivity wasn’t even mentioned, the Moldavian principality has already conducted active foreign policy being a trendsetter of political and cultural fashion for Wallachian people. Moldavia was beating off the Turks and Poles sometimes establishing allied relations with the last against the Ottoman Empire. That period Moldavian hospodars already turned their eyes on the east – to Russia, the country of the same faith. After unsuccessful Prut campaign of Peter the I-st in 1711 where Moldavians fought on the side of Russians, many Moldavian aristocrats were compelled to seek re­ fuge in Russia. Dmitry Kantemir, Niko-

lay Bantysh-Kamensky – these names were familiar to any educated person in Peter’s Russia because their bearers left an outstanding mark on Russian science and literature. It is notable that the founder of Mohyla academy, Moldavian aristocrat Peter Mohyla was called more Russian than the Russians themselves. From all abovementioned we can see the role played by Moldavia, first of all, in the European politics of that period and, secondly, in the politics of the Russian Empire. Following the historical logic, that weren’t Moldavians who had to become Romanians but on the contrary; and Moldavian language, like dramatist Ion Drutse neatly said, is the «grandmother of Romanian language».

In XIX century Russian diplomacy welcomed appearance of the young Romanian state, because Romanians and people of the Russian Empire had a common enemy – the Ottoman Empire. However the geopolitical beginner started to play against Russian interests

gion with mixed Hungarian-Romanian population. Hungarians are Catholics.

Romanians are Orthodox. The result of their close neighborhood is appearance of such liminal, i.e. boundary religious confession as Eastern-rite Catholicism.

Exactly in Transylvania, in Catholic and Eastern-rite Catholic environment the idea of the Greater Romania has ari­ sen. Transylvania linguists-Eastern-rite Catholics elaborated the grammar of future Romanian language on a Latin script (Transylvania linguistic school).

Later those textbooks were printed in the Austria-Hungarian Empire and Va­tican in every possible way favored Latinization of Transylvania Romanians trying to separate Romanians to the limit from Moldavians oriented to the Russian Empire. Owing to this Transylvania vision of Romania future, both political and cultural, was imported further to the east – independent Romania and Russian Bessarabia. Having been excluded from Orthodox cultural

The founder of Mohyla academy, Moldavian aristocrat Peter Mohyla was called more Russian than the Russians themselves and this happened mainly due to skilful diplomacy of the western states (first of all, Austria-Hungary) who strived to use Romania as anti-Russian buffer in South-Eastern Europe.

The Habsburg Empire, its Hungarian part, included Transylvania – the re-

context, Transylvania linguists (and not all of them were ethnic Romanians) couldn’t assist language unification of Romanians and Moldavians having preferred the way of a split. Transylvania can be compared with Ukrainian Galicia where the positions of Eastern-rite Ca-

sidered exceptionally from negative positions; in independent Ukraine they thoughtlessly supported such tone and with that freed hands of Bucharest that declared about incompetence of return

semi-German – but fervent Romanian patriot of extremely right views. «Iron Guard» acted in Romania from 1927 to 1941 and its members promoted the idea of Romanian nation’s spiritual

Multi-culturalism has broken down and today’s France is threatened not by global crisis or terrorism but immigrants, especially Muslims

«DRANG NACH OSTEN» A LA ROMANIAN I

And what are the nearest perspectives of the party «Svoboda» in Europe?

Confident victory of All-Ukrainian association «Svoboda» on the last parliamentary elections in Ukraine has become an outright surprise for this party’s leadership that literally the day before the elections assessed its chan­ ces within access 5% and in reality received more than 10% of the Ukrainian electors’ support.

Europe anxiously took «Svoboda» acquisition of unprecedented high result on the last parliamentary elections in Ukraine. Such anxiety has already lead to the situation when on the 13d of December 2012, during adoption of the European Union’s resolution about circumstances in Ukraine, Bulgarian

European parliament deputy from «European socialists and democrats» group Christian Vegenin offered to supplement the resolution text by an amendment, which would convey concern with growth of the national movements in Ukraine. Besides, Christian Vegenin offered to call the political parties that passed to the Verkhovnaya Rada of Ukraine not to create coalition with the political force, which «undermines European values».

This amendment was supported by necessary majority of European de­ puties and became first public signal of Europe addressed to «Svoboda»: the way to Europe for this political force will be difficult. The group’s analytics consider that in 2013 an ordinary European in Europe will be frightened by activity of «Svoboda» representatives.

The process of the European Union Parliamentary Assembly session in January 2013 confirmed the thesis that few people and politicians in Europe are ready to calmly take activity of rightwing political parties.

At the end of January this year ten deputies of PACE from five national delegations categorically opposed to accreditation in the Committee of institutional affairs of PACE of the representative of Greece Elena Zarulia and representative of Hungary Tamash Gauda-Nagu. The reason of such demarche was the following: these two parliamentarians were involved to fascist and racist statements and that’s why they don’t have right to take positions in the Assembly working bodies.

And although this initiative wasn’t supported by necessary majority, the signal itself is negative for representative of «Svoboda» in PACE. This means that the Assembly will attentively watch any activity of «Svoboda» on the global scene.

Possibly such intimidations shall achieve definite results because it takes place on already prepared «social ground». As distribution of nationalistic French movements described above isn’t a distant perspective but today’s reality.

dential and parliamentary elections are conducted in two rounds and only two popular forces pass to the second round.

This deprives the «National front» the real chances for representation of its interests in the national parliament. As the matter of fact for more than a fortyyear’s history of development the party delegated only a scanty part of its representatives to the National assembly composition.

Secondly, the «National front» re-

tholicism are also strong and ultrarightist ideology of OUN and URA has been formed on this basis. Guru of integral Ukrainian nationalism Dmitry Dontsov openly called Ukrainians to rebaptize

mains quite isolated in the country’s political system. Traditional political parties of France refuse to create coalition with the «National front».

In addition, in spite of a definite success, the party continues to remain unpopular among the most vulnerable French society. The bright example is the presidential elections of 2002 when Jean-Mary Le Pen passed to the second round. In response to this the centrists and left-of-centre politicians voted by the majority for Jacques Chirac who received 82% of popular votes.

Exactly in Transylvania, in Catholic and Eastern-rite Catholic environment the idea of the Greater Romania has arisen of Bessarabia and Northern Bukovina to the composition of Ukrainian SSR in 1940. The Greater Romania phantom revived again.

It is important to understand that the Greater Romanian doctrine isn’t a newly-made geopolitical product but intellectually grounded and historically successive principles of revival and strengthening of Romanian nation and Romanian state. Among its first adepts we can see names of many famous representatives of Romanian nation. They are: classic of Romanian literature Mihai Eminescu, philosophers Nae Ionescu and Emil Choran, religion historian Mircea Eliade, and politician Corneliu Codreanu. Each of them contributed his mite to the Greater Romania idea and each of them saw something personal in this idea, but in modern Romania all

The number of Ukrainian Moldavians reaches almost 260 000, and they as a rule populate lands frontier to Romania and Moldavia, and Bucharest had its eye on these lands from the Orthodoxy to Eastern-rite Catholicism. He assumed that was the only way to separate from All-Russian culture and come closer to the West both politically and ideologically.

Its practical implementation the idea of the Greater Romania received from 1918 to 1940. In 1918 so called Major Association took place when in the result of Austro-Hungary collapse Transylvania affiliated Romania. Several years before Romanians seized quadrilateral Ruse – Shuman – Varna – Silistra from Bulgaria resulted by II-nd Balkan war. Positioning themselves as a stronghold of Romanian civilization encircled by Magyar-Slavonic «sea», Romanians wanted to cut themselves from it my Tisa, Danube and Dniester. Later Bucharest managed to seize Bessarabia, which was lost after Workers’ and Peasants’ Red Army campaign in 1940.

New round of Pan-Romanianistic expansionism fallen on the period of USSR collapse. During perestroika years the Molotov Ribbentrop pact was con-

these persons stand high as the outstanding figures of not only Romanian culture but Romanian political thought. Мircea Eliade, researching religious myths of different nations including Romanians, related to «Zalmoxis» magazine. Zalmoxis is a semi-mythical reformer and demigod in Geth history – the Thracian nation allied to Daci.

Scientists call Geth-Daci the closely related nations residing near the Carpathians and on the territory of modern Transylvania. The Greater Romania theory brings Romanians’ ethnogenesis exactly from these nations, and the fact that in ancient times they lived from Transylvania to the Carpathians brings more confidence to the followers of Bucharest territorial expansion. Мircea Eliade was attentive towards the figure of Zalmoxis because he himself was a reformer, first of all, religious-ideological one. That’s why Mircea Eliade maintained close contacts with the leader of the «Iron Guard» Corneliu Codreanu – semi-Pole,

renovation, denial from passiveness and decrepitude. Today the image of C. Codreanu, the ascetic, active Christian, the person of iron will and discipline, is turned to the icon of Romanian patriotism and Romanian bellicosity. That was the person who despised democratic slackness, and all his legionaries were a match for him. They passed complex ritual of initiation to the Legion, indispensably kept the fast and prayed, took part in a civil war in Spain on the side of Franco, demonstratively killed recreants, and being arrested on a locus delicti embraced, sung patriotic songs and danced warlike dances. Romanian messianism and, as the necessary condition, the unbending will and heroic death cult – all this presented in the ideas of Corneliu Codreanu. In Romania there is the youth patriotic organization called «New Right-wings» - modern successors of Corneliu Codreanu’s ideas.

As we can see, Romanian patriotism isn’t what we used to paint in our imagination. Our stereotypes paint Romanians as dull and even oppressed, and Romania as the country staying in a perpetual need. In truth the origins of Romanian patriotism in the recent time begin from the ideas and faith shaped by iron mouth and unbending will of such persons like C. Codreanu, М. Eliade etc.

In such circumstances Ukraine and Russia have to follow coordinated policy in relations with Bucharest. Kiev also needs to make everything possible to preserve Moldavian identity.

The number of Ukrainian Moldavians reaches almost 260 000, and they as a rule populate lands frontier to Romania and Moldavia, and Bucharest had its eye on these lands. The economic interests of regional officials mustn’t be allowed to prevail over the interests of the state.

This happens sometimes when local elite of Ukrainian regions frontier to Romania has its interests in the neighboring state and that’s why doesn’t pay much attention to the cultural requirements of Moldavian population, giving preference to Romanian diaspora organizations.

POLITICS

www.thekievtimes.ua

11

EUROPEAN NATIONALISM IS DEAD, AND THAT’S NOT OUR HEADACHE Ukrainian ethno-cultural conflict and talks about separation have nothing in common with racism and money of white Europe. Unitarity of the Ukrainian state is consolidated by the Constitution. But in fact it always had the element of federalism in the form of Crimean Autonomous Republic Dmitry Zaborin

I

n Ukraine there is a single citizenship that is also consolidated by the Constitution. But in fact there is two Ukrainian ethnicities with deep cultu­ ral distinctions. In wider interpretation every of them can mentally include twenty three percent of bi-ethnic Russians-Ukrainians, ten percent of mono-ethnic Russians, and five percent of people of other nationalities.

Through the prism of cultural war that invisible continues in the informational space you can be «true» or «false» Ukrainian only by choosing definite cultural-historical construction for yourself. And the problem of this choice with radical nationalists’ coming in go­ vernment has extremely worsened. To be more precise, it entered the plane of power methods of «upbringing» of millions of people in the center and southeast of Ukraine. Since these millions take the world from position of diffe­ rent cultural tradition, they are actively imposed by the complex of cultural

What is it like in Europe External news quite convincingly prove the triumph of ultra-radical nationalistic parties. Finland, France, Germany, the Great Britain, and Belgium demonstrate unprecedented rates of turning of yesterday’s political dwarfs into real political forces. On parliamentary elections in Hungary in 2010 the party with interesting name «Yobbik» («For better Hungary») received 14 plus percents. Once having been created by ultra-radical students, it quite legally has the militarized wing that beats up Gypsies with great pleasure.

In 2004 Ultra-right party «Fortein list» in Netherlands achieved adoption of the oldest law about refugees in the EU. As a consequence about 26 thousand of people were dispatched form the country. The others for the period of registration certificate consideration received more comfortable analogue of concentration camps. The case with deportation of Gypsies from France to

Post-colonial logic suggests the necessity to continue struggle for independence and active creation of myths that would ground it inferiority multiplied by propaganda of «post-colonial» tradition neglected by much more serious organizations.

Yearly attempts to divide political nation, single in the network of the state, into «two worlds» brought the word «Ukrainian» the double meaning.

Ukrainian but not «Ukrainian» and it isn’t clear who is meant in the results of public opinion polls. Ukrainian journalist but not «Ukrainian journalist».

Ukrainian state figure acting in the network of Ukrainian laws but «anti-Ukrainian» with «anti-Ukrainian laws», «anti-Ukrainian Constitution» and «anti-Ukrainian views to the state».

Basing upon the «victim experience», the builders of ethnic nation or «professional Ukrainians» (shortly «Ukrainians») oppose themselves to their own state. It appeared in accordance with their wishes but without their participation and any influence on the processes of formation, establishment, and development, and that’s why cau­ ses sharp annoyance. The main problem for «Ukrainians» is the role of the Soviet Union in these processes. They try to represent the key part of the history of the Ukrainian state as domination of the Russian empire, suppression of national identity, and even direct destruction. This supposedly hinders Ukraine to live today too.

As a consequence the post-colonial logic suggests the necessity to conti­nue struggle for independence and active creation of myths that would ground it. But for independence not from Moscow but from own citizens, who don’t correspond with some set of features.

And further the discourse about se­ paration of «alien» territories from the «Ukrainian» body gains momentum. I.e. about full-fledged federalization or division into several states.

The most active bearer of this discourse together with Crimea and Donbass residents is the Galicia intelligentsia. But while the first ones defend themselves, the correct course of WestUkrainian nationalism is bolstered by outwardly similar processes in Europe: the surge of nationalism and powerful centrifugal processes in many states.

Romania in 2010 looks quite freshly.

Simultaneously the process of European countries’ split is being developed.

Nationalistic party «Convergence and unity» that won elections in Catalonia now supports independence from Spain together with «Republican leftists».

Rich province doesn’t wish to share money with the whole country, publicly presenting this as the cultural oppression and destruction of originality: the central government refused assignment of five billion dollars for social programs to Barcelona.

The same (and for a pretty long time) is happening in Spain Galicia and Basque Country. In Germany prosperous Bavarians and residents of Baden-Wurttemberg refuse to feed poor people, especially from Eastern Germany. And also motivate this by wish to preserve distinctive culture, dialect, and own history. Scotland that formerly by great blood associated with the Great Britain, Flandreau, Sardinia, Southern

fortieth Europe entered absolutely new epoch of its life. In 1954 the French parliament angrily rejected the offer about European army creation not willing to agree «with rearmament of primordial enemy». 30 years later, in December 1990, 66% of adult French supported creation of the European community.

Seven of each ten adults voted for.

Germany, having been defeated in two world wars, for thirty-year period passed to expressive antimilitarism and mind-overcoming tolerance. And for the first time it succeeded not by force but at the expense of its technological

People, ideas, and goods freely circulate in the EU, millions of people cross the boarders voyaging across the sea or on a tour Tyrol, and Northern Italy are potential candidates for separate states’ creation.

But the difference both of the first and the second process from Ukrainian realities is that European nationalism has stopped to exist long ago. It isn’t the driving force not in the Gypsies’ beating but at separation of ethnic territories to individual units. Possibly, for Ukraine the nationalism that was preserved in ideologemes of the beginning of XX has some political value. But not in Western Europe, the whole history of which has exactly the nationalism as the basis. Even during the First World War informational work for creation of «image of enemy» was conducted on exceptionally high level. And many «damn frog-eaters» seriously trusted that «damn Fritzes» ate infants.

Thirtieth years of the last century are the period of nationalism prosperity and apogee of totalitarian regimes in Europe. However, after the destructive

Ukrainian federalism Internal ethno-cultural conflict artificially stirred up with political purposes has nothing in common with the European experience. The same as with the problem of «occupation consequences» and the necessity to clear from them.

National elites in USSR hadn’t appeared as a result of opposition to the colonizer. They were created and developed consciously including through granting of serious preferences before supposedly titular Russian nation.

Moreover, at daybreak of the Soviet state establishment the local national elites actively and consciously participated in its creation and had the same rights and possibilities as the representatives of «colonizers». The representatives of «colonized nations» could achieve any positions. It would be enough to mention that at the head of

today’s us, but we are not. And trying to win post factum and implant strict format of ethnic nation as the automa­ tic guarantee of justice and prosperity, offer neither critical analysis of modern regimes, nor distinct discourse about place, role, and conditions of wellbeing of all citizens in the Ukrainian state.

Those who refuse to choose imposed definite cultural-historical construction, are refused the right to be equal «Ukrainians». There is the only condition: full and unreserved capitulation on terms of people who declared that they would determine others’ life only by the reason that they want to.

And without listening to the objections they require to obey them more and more persistently.

Talks about federalization following from this escalating conflict are not European separatism of rich people and not desire to preserve local uniqueness in this or that autonomy format.

But the struggle of white Europeans for their living space with the flow of other tribes’ members (though attempts to show the situation just like this are being constantly undertaken in Ukraine).

This is self-destruction where the task of survival in the global world as well as economic and technological independence isn’t put on the agenda at all.

Several years ago I was the follower of cultural federalization. I talked a lot about necessity of mutual agreement of two Ukrainian nations not to pry into each others’ feelings and not to command what holidays to celebrate and

USSR there were two expatriate Ukrainians – Khrushchev and Brezhnev as well as the son of Ukrainian immigrants Constantine Chernenko. Among outstanding scientists, ministers, and commanders there was al least a half of Ukrainians.

But today «Ukrainians» who devoted themselves to the attempt of revanche of ideas failed at the beginning of the last century, don’t try to follow the way of logic. The empire is guilty that modernity and progress hadn’t come to

what not to celebrate. For the common future, analogous to Switzerland with its four state languages.

Today’s realities demonstrate that federation won’t be the guarantee of mutual respect. Moreover, it will be ruled by the same people who created the situation of internal split and mutual hate in the unitary state, hiding its transformation into the raw adjunct.

And Ukrainian wildness in its today’s form can look like Europe only in one case: the Yugoslavian one.

grants. The general amount of migrants who could come from Africa and Asia to Europe from 2008 to 2050 was assessed at the rate of 40 million people. And currently they already provide 60% of population growth.

Direct consequence from this is li­ quidation of «common wellbeing» state system and perfect social security. People looking as white Europeans like aliens take away jobs, houses, and cultural space, force to spend for them money intended for the country’s owners. The natural reaction is rejection and wishes to create personal world with no entrance for strangers.

and economic superiority.

Survey of the Europeans conducted by international service of public opinion regular researches «Eurobarometer» in November 1989 showed that among dozen of great goals that deserve to be fought for the «country’s protection» was put on the seventh place. After «human rights», «peace», «nature protection», «struggle with poverty», «freedom of person», and «struggle against racism».

Europe has been experiencing internationalization of national cultures.

People, ideas, and goods freely circulate in the EU, millions of people cross the boarders voyaging across the sea or on a tour. «Eurovision» has become reality not as a song contest. The majority of European teenagers easily speak two foreign languages.

Unprecedented growth of radical moods and «nationalistic» parties isn’t demonstration of the nationalism but banal racism basing upon economic reasons.

Money and its amount is the general meaning in today’s world. That’s why strengthening of racism hostility to immigrants from Africa and Southern Asia can’t be considered the same as was the centuries-old enmity and between European neighbors. Not the same as the differences between Bretons, Provencals, and residents of Normandy. Not the same as otherness of Basques.

Having left their world that collapsed under the pressure of globalism, the residents of former German, French, and Britain colonies poured where money, economical amenities, and center of political decision-making are concentrated. Today in Germany 2,4 million of Turks reside, and only 700 thousand of them have a citizenship.

The general amount of migrants who could come from Africa and Asia to Europe from 2008 to 2050 was assessed at the rate of 40 million people It has become unnecessary for European nations to hate each other. Consequences of infusion of economics and existence of supranational market are obvious. For the last twenty years

And, according to political magazine «World of Europe», every year about two million people officially arrive at the European countries, to say nothing about unknown amount of illegal immi-

12

OPINION

THE KIEV TIMES | MARCH, 2013

ANATOLY ARSEENKO: TODAY WE ARE NEITHER SOVEREIGN, NOR INDEPENDENT COUNTRY Sociologist and ex-diplomat Anatoly Arseenko has commented upon the main topics of March issue of The Kiev Times and expressed his mind about Ukraine’s status in the modern world. In the next issue read the detailed exclusive interview devoted to the problems of globalization Written by Alexandra Pogorelaya

stand what today’s relations between USA and Russia, NATO and Russia are; nobody excludes the possibility of war.

Under such state of affairs Ukraine becomes a springboard between Russia and NATO. The second aspect: centuries-long market, culture, and menta­

nomic community. Or else we will ask when everything will be solved and shared. This is the only way to solve the problems of energy resources for Ukraine. The most oil-producing shelf of Ukraine – Snake Island – was uselessly handed over to the West. We

The EU, which several years ago was considered the most unsuccessful example of economic integration for the entire history of humanity today, literally bulges at the seams lity. Our products are successfully realized there. The policy of transparence and openness leads to the situation when Ukraine has become the place for throwing away the world’s «rubbish»: needless goods and foodstuffs. In our turn we are deprived of the possibility to enter European and American markets.

An example. In Kiev, on Anri Barbusa str., there was located one cloths factory, which in the Soviet period was famed by production of all Olympic teams’ uniforms. In conditions of the market economy it became very successful enterprise and entered American market. At the very beginning they sold 20 thousand woman’s coats: nobody saw anything like that in USA. Then they sold 200 thousand. Then – for 2 million dollars. After that Kiev was visited by the US deputy of the ministry of trade, Clinton’s personal friend, who said «stop, we will establish you quota, we also need employment». That’s why all arguments about competitiveness and openness of economy and trade are fairy tales. Our market is Russian.

Western civilization is experiencing the most serious crisis for the whole history. And nobody sees the way out of it. The crisis was over in 2009 only for those banks, which provoked it. USA pumped 16 trillion dollars into these banks that even under crisis conditions allowed three bankers fixing emolument at the rate of 1 billion dollars. But for millions of ordinary people crisis is on the run. Any country of Northern America and Europe didn’t reach such level of employment as before the crisis. The myth that it’s possible to live on grants is for simpletons. In USA there is officially about 10% of jobless.

According to American scientists’ data, which in their accounts use methodo­ logy applied by the US Ministry of labor before 1980, this figure would make 22%. Thus, every fifth person is jobless.

Only 40% of them receive some grants.

For the wealthiest country where today more than 50 million people live on the breadline it is a critical situation.

And like ours, many of them are busy full time. About 37 million of USA resi­ dents live of the edge of starving and

didn’t manage to protect even what we have. I don’t say that Russia will help us. But CU (as we see on the examples of Byelorussia and Kazakhstan) would provide conditions that would help us.

The main export production of Ukraine is the production of metallurgic industry. It is very power-hungry and we will hardly manage to make it competitive against the current prices for energy resources.

There is a simple rule: governors always have to consider their people’s wishes. The president of USA Roosevelt used to say: «For the whole 4 terms on the position of the president I hadn’t made any decision if I wasn’t sure that it would be supported by at least 60% of the country’s population». According to our researches, in 2012 the majority of Ukrainian population will support relations with Russia and CIS countries, and only 16,4% - relations with Western developed countries. Ukrainian society

«Look before you leap» such projects with participation of transnational companies. Obviously, the contract with Shell was signed to pique Russia.

They say: if you don’t wish like this, we will do it like that. Our big tragedy lies in the fact that in view of professional incompetence we often suggest mad projects. They do more harm than good. Ordinary daydreaming.

Political image of Ukraine. All our ills after 1991 lie in the fact that we talked about state sovereignty too much and have never made nothing for its strengthening and restoration.

Today we are neither sovereign, nor independent country. We live on cre­ dit, waste Soviet heritage, and take new debts, which we pin on our children and grandchildren’s shoulders. This can’t last forever. The International Monetary Fund is going to make decision about assignment of the following tranche to Ukraine at the rate of 15 billon dollars. 7 billion IMF will immediately deduct for previous loans and accumulated percents. We persistently achieving condition of those developed countries (and there are many of them already), whose export gain isn’t spent for debts repayment but for redemption of interests, which are added to these debts. This is economical bottom without any perspective.

Any state is independent until it can reproduce its state sovereignty. The state as a system has its main frame-

Separatism can’t find its followers in Ukraine – not more than 3% of population supports such ideas considers that the vector of integration is directed to Slavic block. However, nobody accounts people’s wishes. We have been conducting researches from 1994. The Ukrainian society in its majority has never wanted to enter the EU. Meanwhile, separatism can’t find its followers in Ukraine – not more than 3% of population supports such ideas.

Shale gas production in Ukraine and contract with Shell. Western countries and USA very carefully treat development and production of shale gas. This causes great ecological consequences. We are offered new techno­ logies. All untested innovations were the most demonstrative for Ukrainians on example of Hyundai. Russia paid twice cheaper for trains in Germany, then for two years has been testing them on its roads, and only after that began their operation. But with Hyundai trains «we have what we have», like the first Ukrainian president said. The interest of transnational corporations is logical: on foreign land and foreign

work or leading subsystems (as it is accepted to say in sociology). And one of them is territorial integrity of the state. It is provided by military, diplomatic, and administrative methods and politicians. I’m not a great specialist in the military sphere but if the Ministry of defense says that Ukraine has only 10 mission-ready plains and 10 deployable pilots, this will be sufficient for first 5 minutes of war! In the museum of aviation on Julyansky airfield one can ensure that there were thousands of plains produced and armed in USSR. We see how modern wars are conducted on the examples of Libya and Mali.

Aviation is the basis. And I don’t know any state, which owing to financial obstacles would reject the youth’s draft…

Ukrainian foreign policy. The president and the government put the task to the diplomatic corps. Diplomats only submit offers and to the limit of their abilities, if offers are argued, defend and implement them. But I think that this is the ability, which our Ministry

T

he case of Timoshenko. If Ukraine is really sovereign and independent state, it has right to deal with subjects inside its own country. There is a court decision. As the former diplomat and sociologist I don’t understand what is going on. For years we have been precariously reproached in existence of the «phone right» in the Soviet pe-

they induce Ukraine to open its markets although they protected their own one.

Integration of Ukraine with the EU. For 20 years we’re talking that we see ourselves only in Europe. But as Spaniards say, at least two people are needed to dance tango. The question is problematic for us. Do they want to

The policy of transparence and openness leads to the situation when Ukraine has become the place for throwing away the world’s «rubbish»: needless goods and foodstuffs riod. And then the matter was about the fact that the party leaders could instruct courts, prosecutors, and police. Now what is the reason for USA and the European Union, in the person of officials, to make conditions to the Ukrainian presi­dent to apply the forbidden «phone right» and induce respective court authorities to revise their solutions?!

Letters of Renat Kuzmin to the US Congress. Diplomacy is very poor in Ukraine. The letters of prosecutor Kuzmin are conditioned by the fact that USA through the years was preaching the double standards. They took away USA citizens out from responsibility for their crimes committed in other countries. They consider that nobody has right to judge American even for a criminal offence. Even when the matter is about rape of an under-age girl. USA was the initiator of creation of the International criminal court that drove the former leader of Serbia Miloshevich to the death. But they withdraw themselves out from under this court’s jurisdiction. USA conducts its politics under the motto: «Do what we say but not what we do». And this concerns even the economic policy. They didn’t do many things during the period of formation of capitalism and market economy. But

see us in Europe? Are we Europeans to the extent we wish? Those amenities that are described to our people in the connection with potential integration with the EU are too exaggerated.

The EU acts according the following principle: «Charity begins at home».

The interests of the states founders of the EU are protected first of all. Then follow those capitalistic countries of Europe, which associated with the EU before USSR collapse. And then follow those EU countries, which associated after breakdown of the world’s social

to Bulgaria: the prime-minister is not of his good life urgently abdicates responsibility affected by mass civil disturbances. The more so, these are small countries and they in some measure can be «digested», though with consequences for the EU. Do we have to wait that golden rain will flow over Ukraine after accession to the EU? I’m not as optimistic as many representatives of our political and scientific elite are.

Countries of the first circle of the EU in some measure exploit countries of the second circle, and they by turn exploit countries of the third one. And the last are empowered to exploit potential candidates for accession to the EU. This is what Poland makes in relation to Ukraine today. The EU, which several years ago was considered the most successful example of econo­mic integration for the entire history of humanity today, literally bulges at the seams. Many countries raise the question about cancellation of euro. I think it is illogical to aspire for organization that doesn’t know how to preserve its integrity and what to do with crisis, which by the roots shocks absolutely all European countries. Such things had

Photographer Alexander Lobanov

Dossier: Anatoly Arseenko, the Candidate of Historical Sciences, the leading research assosiate of economic sociology department in the Institute of sociology of NAS of Ukraine. The sphere of scientific interests: social and employment relations in the world of capital, various aspects of political, economic, cultural, and military globalization. The author and co-author of more than 150 scientific works including monographs «Socio-economic mechanism of labor relations regulation (on examples of USA, Canada, and the Great Britain)», «Challenges of globalization and Ukraine», «Where does global economy move in ХХІ century?» etc. Being on diplomatic service represented the interests of USSR in Canada and UNO.

All untested innovations were the most demonstrative for Ukrainians on example of Hyundai

survive only due to food state coupons and soup kitchen. But it can’t last infinitely; the possibilities of the states are confined.

system: the Baltics, Bulgaria, and Romania. The EU has absolutely different attitude to these countries. The EU provides economic assistance to Greece, Portugal, and Spain. Italy is next. They are those who were founders of the EU or those who associated with the se­ cond. But nobody pays attention to the Baltics that by the way earlier were the wealthiest countries in the Soviet Union. Meanwhile they were driven to the extreme edge of poverty and huge level of unemployment, GDP reduction, etc. Nobody also pays attention

Accession of Ukraine to the CU. Economic future belongs to Eurasia but not to Europe and America. The idea of BRICS isn’t accidental: this is association created in opposition to America – Brazil, Russia, India, and Southern Africa has recently joined. And this is very powerful association. It isn’t accidental that more often they talk about creation of Eurasian economic association. It would be much effectually for Ukraine to make decision about accession to the Customs Union as the equal right member and stipulate its conditions in future Euro-Asian eco-

never happened before. Let’s consider Spain. 25% of unemployment; 60% among youth at the age to 29 years old.

This means that even the youth doesn’t have any future there.

The question of integration to the East. We are united with Russia by the millennium history. Millions of people of Ukrainian origin reside on the territory of CIS including Russia. It is blasphemous to concede that finding themselves in different camps Ukrainians would kill Ukrainians. And we under-

people it is better to carry out experiments of shale gas production. In USA after the catastrophe on oil-producing tower the environment defenders exert huge pressure to never let such expe­ riments to be conducted. Humanity is in ecological-climatic crisis condition.

Prominent scientists say that in XX huge climatic changes took place. And confirmation is the situation currently happening in America. Temperature on our Earth has changed only by 0,75%.

According to the prognoses, in XXI century, if people will continue to cruelly throw away CO2 and other harmful ga­ ses to the atmosphere, this can lead to increase of temperature by 3-4 degrees that threatens by complete destruction of the entire fauna and flora, i.e. a human habitat. I would treat by principle

of foreign affairs doesn’t have at all.

The world looks extremely negatively on this. The example is the attitude of Ukraine to Cuba. The question about reversal of economic blockade from Cuba has been issued for voting many times.

Continuation of blockade is traditionally supported by USA, Israel, small islands and … Ukraine! But we can’t forget that for 20 years Cuba cured more than 20 thousand Ukrainian children!

They were on the treatment in this country for a year and more together with their parents. Any rich country of the world neither in Northern America, nor in Western Europe didn’t make anything like this and nothing at all. In diplomacy everything has to be made on the basis of mutuality. One should return the favor…

www.thekievtimes.ua

HISTORICAL ROOTS OF MODERN UKRAINE: HETMANSCHINA

HISTORY

13

the range of one nation but not different nations. Ukraine and Russia were formed after Tartar invasion in ХІІІ century and in conditions of separate

guardianship of the Russian tsarism.

Any national-liberation movement in Ukraine directed against tsar’s power was proclaimed reactionary and hostile

and any place of the globe. Such «freethinking» of Michael Yulianovich was «awarded» by then existing authority with almost 10 years of disemployment in the Ukrainian Academy of Sciences (thanks God not with deprivation of liberty for the same period). Even abundant quoting of V. Lenin on many pages of his strictly scientific work didn’t save him.

Finishing conversation about Hetman Ukraine destiny it is worth to note that after Bogdan’s death the events unfolded impetuously but unfortunately not to the benefit of that state.

In 1764 the hetmanship institute was liquidated and the Sech itself was destroyed the following year. In full this corresponded to the doctrine of Cath-

existence to 1654 had never united.

But the essence of a problem wasn’t in these two words but in what stood behind them. Complete revaluation of this historical event has been realized.

In the book «Histories of Ukraine» of 1943 transition to the Russian protectorate was considered as «the lesser of two evils» compared to what waited the Ukrainians under the power of Poland or Turkey. And in 50s’ of ХХ century the same phenomenon was already consid-

movement because it led to «isolation» of Ukraine from Russia; meanwhile it seemed that the Ukrainian nation’s interests required stay under the imperial «umbrella».

But from the side of common historical reasoning and numerous analogies the theoretic groundlessness of such imperial «argumentation» is quite evident. Because with the help of similar reasoning it is possible to excuse any act of colonial occupation in any epoch

erine the ІІ, who noted in one of her documents: «Little Russia, Livland and Finland are provinces governed by fthe granted privilegiums and it would be obscene to break these privilegiums instantly, but it is impossible to consider these provinces foreign ones and it would be silly to treat them as foreign lands… When there won’t be hetman in Little Russia, it is necessary to try making the notion of hetmans disappear».

sion» of Ukraine to Russia they began to widely use the term «reunification».

But from philosophical point of view this terminological substitution looks absolutely inconsistent: because only parts of something united and common can reunite. That’s why in terms of inter-ethnic contacts examination the reunification can be realized within

ered by historians as the best perspective for Ukrainian nation and necessary condition for its further progress.

Following this interpretation, unlike all other nations that determined the way of independent life as the necessary condition of normal development, the Ukrainian nation suppo­ sedly could flourish only under noble

Neither Khmelnitsky nor his foreman initially planned the creation of independent state in ethnic borders of Ukraine

After the Kievan Rus fall and several centuries of being a member of international states – the Golden Horde, the Great Lithuanian principality and the PolishLithuanian Commonwealth – in ХVІІ century Ukraine acquired its independence in a state officially called «Army of Zaporozhye» Alexander Motsya

Restless ХVІІ century The Cossacks that first settled down in Dnieper rapids region and then spread over the majority of modern Ukrainian lands (excluding western regions) has become some kind of a «locomotive» in formation of the new state. Like one outstanding theorist of domestic state formation V. Lipinsky said: «Like Polish gentry created the notion of Polish statehood and Polish nation, the Ukrainian Cossacks crea­ ted the notion of Ukrainian statehood and nation. And even geographically provincial title of Cossack territory – Kiev, Chernigov and Bratslav provinces

division of an army but the known edge of the South-Russian land. The regiment embodied cities, boroughs, and villages, and was called the name of the main and more important city where the regiment management set. The regiment was commanded by a colonel: he had the jurisdiction over all other officials. The regiments were divided into sotnias – Cossack squadrons. The sotnia embodied villages and farms and also was called the name of some important borough. Sotnias were divided into kurens where there were several dozens of farmsteads. Upper place was called the general military chancellery

In choosing the protector Moscow tsar was preferable. The explanation was made by several points: belonging to the common religion (Christianity in its eastern form – the Orthodoxy), presence in the Ukrainian people’s historical memory of the idea of common political destiny in the times of princely Rus, nonexistence of anti-Russian moods in ethno-psychology of Ukrainians, and propinquity of languages and cultures. As well as comparative military-political weakness of Russia of that time in opposite to the Ottoman Empire that allowed hoping for preservation of more complete state

The process of formation of the main Ukrainian state institutions of that period has become the largest political achievement of the Ukrainian nation after several centuries of national enslavement by neighbors

The Great hetman During the initial period of Ukrainian people’s War of Liberation that in 1648 was headed by indubitably prominent statesman, hetman Bogdan Khmelnitsky, Zaporozhye continued to play its leading political role. Just right there the army main body was created, hetman was elected and the idea of Cossack Ukraine state-territorial autonomy was formed. Later this idea formed the basis of that period’s Ukrainian authority politics. But after splendid victories over Poles near Yellow Waters and Korsun when the revolt quickly developed into the national-liberation war, Zaporozhye region stopped to «play the first violin». This happened because under-populated territory of Zaporozhye, whose economy continued to bear basically appropriation character and was founded not on a private

where officials were members together with hetman… Those times the officials were elected and suspended in radas, the people’s assemblies, by free votes and then were approved by hetmans. Such order was customary in the Cossack army but that year (i.e. 1648) it spread over the entire nation. Then the word «Cossack» stopped to mean exclusively special military estate but transferred to the whole mass of rebelled South-Russian population».

The process of formation of the main Ukrainian state institutions of that period in whole was completed during the second part of 1649-1650 as one of Kievan Rus successors. This has become the largest political achievement of the Ukrainian nation after several centuries of national enslavement by neighbors.

On the way to independence But it is worth to also note that neither Khmelnitsky nor his foreman initially planned the creation of independent state in ethnic borders of Ukraine, and that’s why they didn’t suggest any correspondent political program. Most probably they strived to make Po­lish

«Reunification» or «accession»?

360 years have passed after the agreement between two Slavic states was concluded in the modern Pereyaslav-Khmelnitsky, and arguments about its interpretation still circulate.

Like Michael Braychevsky noted in due time, the situation with the mentioned event assessment got more sophisticated in the period of its 300-years anniversary resounding celebration.

During festivities holding this historical action was raised to the level of the

The tragedy of that time’s Ukraine was in the fact that as the conciliar state it could appear and consolidate only under protectorate of one of friendly disposed neighbors king also «the Russian king» (that time the term Rus hadn’t been used in full).

And Ukraine (at least composed of Kiev, Bratslav, Chernigov, Polesye and Volhynia provinces) would acquire the status of an autonomy or subject of federation similarly to Lithuania. Ne­ vertheless at the end of 1648-first part of 1649 in a hetman environment and according to his guidance there began elaborating of the main principles of Ukrainian state idea, which then became the determinative in people’s li­ beration tendencies during the following centuries right up to nowadays and which implied the creation of independent state in ethnic borders of Ukraine.

At the same time, under Bogdan, there was formed the idea of Ukrainian mo­ narchism that later hadn’t been realized by many reasons.

But in connection with quite a number of events, which didn’t favor strengthening of Cossack power, especially from the side of Poland, there was raised the issue to search for po­ werful and concentrated military-poli­ tical assistance from without. In that period’s situation it, first of all, could be received both from the side of the Ottoman Porte (i.e. Turkey) and from the side of Russia. The project of Swe­dish-

The Ukrainian nation supposedly could flourish only under noble guardianship of the Russian tsarism but on a common property, simply couldn’t become the core of a national state. Besides the great Bogdan’s and his companions’ policy was determined not only by the interests of Zaporozhye Cossacks but the entire Cossack estate, absolute majority of which resided on the territory of «townish» Ukraine.

Khmelnitsky divided the entire Cossacks (except Zaporozhye Cossacks) into regiments. The same Kostomarov noted that «this meant not the correct

independence by Ukraine. The result has become the Pereyaslav Rada 1654.

By its contents the Russian-Ukrainian agreement most probably implied the creation of two states confederations under the supremacy of Romanoff’s crown (at least as hetman believed).

The confederation’s functioning, first of all, would be directed to repulsing of foreign aggression, and that time Ukraine the same as Russia had plenty of it. But the following historical events have led to absolutely different consequences, which initially couldn’t foreseen by anybody.

Ukrainian synthesis wasn’t taken out of examination. This project was later used again by Ivan Mazepa (and again unsuccessfully). Like historian Yaroslav Dashkevich noted, the tragedy of that time’s Ukraine was in the fact that as the conciliar state it could appear and consolidate only under protectorate of one of friendly disposed neighbors. It hadn’t the possibility to realize transition to independence without preliminary dependent period.

world event, which by its meaning was almost equal to the most important civilization revolutions in the history of a mankind. Just in that period instead of the conventional term «acces-

Garmash (by D. Yavornitsky, M. Samokish, S. Vasilkovsky)

– becomes the title of national territory and the title of a nation». Under Bratslavschina Vyacheslav Kazimirovich meant the territory of modern Podolye.

But he slightly hasted with full establishment of Ukrainian original name – at that time «Ukraine» only meant a part of Dnieper Pravoberezhye (Rightbank Ukraine) (like adjacent «Volhynia», «Galichina», «Severyanschina» etc).

This happened later and this is indivi­ dual matter to discuss.

And here it is worth to make a reservation that Zaporozhskaya Sech (Kosh) that was the federation of independent kuren units joint by military jurisdiction acted as the political state unit like a democratic republic. Its birth took place in the thick of so called «Great cordon» – the border between European and non-European worlds – in lands of Slavic and Turkish-Tatar state formations armed opposition. In connection with this one of the most distinctive features of a young state becomes militarism that literally ran through various sides of its life. That’s why the state was called the «Army of Zaporozhye». Like famous historian Nikolay Kostomarov noted: «Simplicity of life, readiness for any danger, piety, chastity, absolute brotherhood and strict obedience to the command will were moral requirements of Zaporozhye community, which brought it closer to monastic life (without regard to a military pursuit)… Extreme equality prevailed in their everyday life. No matter who became a Cossack – Polish gentleman, prince, Philistine or villain – everyone was equal to his compa­ nions. Primarily free Cossacks were filled with Philistines and later its majority consisted of village villains who didn’t want to obey their overlords».

Your business legal support Vorovskogo, 29-E, office 13, Kyiv, 01054 044 486 3360 www.lg-d.com

14

POLITICS/INTERNATIONAL RELATIONS

THE KIEV TIMES | MARCH, 2013

RUSSIAN-UKRAINIAN RELATIONS IN 2013 (Russian aspect)

For the Russian Federation the relationships with Ukraine traditionally refer to the most important and significant among all intergovernmental relations. Meanwhile these relationships have never been simple but rather complicated and sometimes inconsistent Denis Denisov, the deputy director of CIS countries Ukrainian branch

I

Reintegration processes on the postSoviet space and Ukraine In 2012 after Vladimir Putin had returned the chair of the Russian Federation President, many reintegration processes on the post-Soviet space got a new stimulus for further development.

For Ukraine, which in Victor Yuschenko’s presidency ignored many chances to influence the processes happening on the post-Soviet space, there appeared the opportunity to participate in development and functioning of at least two quite perspective projects.

I.e. the Customs and Eurasian Unions.

However Ukrainian political elite have never used this opportunity. Attitude of Russian political elite to the role of Ukraine in integration processes on the post-Soviet space can be considered in several aspects.

Geopolitical aspect lies in traditional idea of Ukraine as a part of «great» Russia that for a while became «independent». Here undoubtedly it is appropriate to remember classic words of Zbignev Bzhezinskiy, the general meaning of which came to the fact that without Ukraine Russia will never be able to revive the empire. On the assumption of the classic conceptions of geopolitics and current realities of international relations, a part of Russian political elite representatives ascertain that Ukraine is out of such projects like the Customs Union, Collective Security Treaty Organization, and EURASEC, but being a part of the Eurasian space plays up to the opponents of Russia and Eurasian integration processes strengthening. The statements of Ukrainian officials and politicians concerning independence and neutrality of Ukraine provoke an irony. Evidently in modern environment of globalization the notions of independence and neutrality have other meaning that considerably differs from the classic policy interpretations of these terms.

Economic aspect in the estimation of the majority of Russian specialists in relation to Ukrainian participation

Photo Ukrainian News

t can be said with a fair degree of certainty that in 2013 Russian-Ukrainian relations shall become one of the priorities of foreign policies of Ukraine and Russia.

On this basis it’s possible to identify the main problem blocks of bilateral relations and try to disclose the Russian authority’s position concerning the key aspects.

in integration processes has to become one of the key and the most attractive one. According to all available studies, in case if Ukraine joins such organizations like the Customs Union or EURASEC, Ukrainian economy will invariably benefit (as opposed to signing of Association agreement with the EU).

Several years ago representatives of the Russian authority and the leading Russian economists already have the conviction that Ukraine in the person of Victor Yanukovich and his team would assess all benefits for Ukrainian eco­

According to 27% of Russians, the Russian Federation in case of necessity can render Ukraine the military-political assistance

nomy in collaboration with RF. They were sure that Yanukovich would immediately join the process of formation of joint economic structures on the post-Soviet space. However practice proved that representatives of large business who sway the country’s president have categorically controverted such initiatives fearing competence from the side of the Russian business.

It is also worth to note that in circles of RF political elite there was formed the definite rejection of Ukrainian offers concerning «3+1» cooperation formats (unfortunately nobody explained the meaning of this cooperation) or «sectoral» collaboration. Such rejection of «Ukrainian» formats is happening due to the fact that Russians particularly

remember cases when together with Ukrainian colleagues they began this or that integration project (CIS, CES) and after that the Ukrainian party refused to sign and ratify fundamental documents of association thereby actually hampering its development.

It is an obvious fact that in sociocultural aspect the majority of Ukrainian (South-East and considerable part of the country’s center) and Russian residents are identical that is also acknowledged by sociological studies.

On this basis the aspect of integration looks quite logical. That’s why representatives of the Russian authorities consider rather strange the fact that under Yanukovich’s presidency, the representative of Donbass region, which is traditionally loyal to Russia, socio-cultural problematic is handled by representatives of western regions of Ukraine who don’t share the perception about similarity and closeness of Russian and Ukrainian people.

Radicalization of political landscape of Ukraine and attitude of the Russian Federation to it Parliamentary elections in Ukraine in 2012 revealed the tendency of Ukrainian society’s radicalization growth, and in the movement of the elections this aspect was of clear anti-Russian nature. Currently this process first of all is embodied by All-Ukrainian Association «Svoboda» represented in the Verkhovnaya Rada of Ukraine by 36 deputies.

It is worth to make a reservation that

tives in Ukrainian political elite environment, on the one hand, is a demonstrative example of the fact that there are processes in Ukraine that are not quite normal from the point of view of democratic state building. This, first of

demonstrated by all sociological studies beginning from declaration of independence. More demonstrably this tendency can be shown with the help of study «Integration barometer ЕАBR», conducted in the network of 17th wave

After launching of «Northern stream» and «Southern stream» projects to their full capacity Ukrainian GTS shall become the monument of «outstanding» intractability of Ukraine all, refers to the Russian compatriots, who are the main targets of «Svoboda».

On the other hand, presence of «Svoboda» in the Ukrainian politicum will always give new reasons for criticism of Ukraine from the side of representatives of the Russian Federation.

«Gas» problems in Russian-Ukrainian relations We can ascertain that in 2013 «gas» problems will be among the main ones in Russian-Ukrainian relations. First of all, because so far the parties haven’t provided more or less real plan of this question settlement beneficial for both partners. It is absolutely evident for the Russian Federation that status quo actually is the most beneficial developments variant from the point of view of income. However many times we heard offers of Russian colleagues about possible decrease of price for gas for Ukraine in case of its accession to integration projects on the post-Soviet space.

of «Eurasian monitor» (April-May 2012). So, according to the study results a third of Russians (33%) consider that it would be good for the Russian Federation to join with Ukraine. By this factor Ukraine looses only to Byelorussia (41%), and meanwhile outstrips Kazakhstan (27%) and the European Union (18%).

Also the majority of Russians consi­ der that Ukraine is the country friendly for Russia; this is opinion of 29% of Russians. By this factor Ukraine is outstripped by Byelorussia and Kazakhstan – 47% and 32% correspondingly.

To the opinions of 27% of Russians, the Russian Federation in case of necessity can render Ukraine the military-political assistance (weapon, military contingent, political support on international level etc). Such rate is higher only at Byelorussia and makes 37%. Ukraine is also a country visited by the largest number of Russians. So, to the question about what countries they have visited during the last 5 years

Ukraine is out of such projects like the Customs Union, Collective Security Treaty Organization, and EURASEC, but being a part of the Eurasian space plays up to the opponents of Russia and Eurasian integration processes strengthening such parties like UDAR, «Batkivschina» and even the Party of Regions have also brought nationally tuned deputies to the VR of Ukraine but currently this is «Svoboda» that embodies the Nazi ideology in Ukraine and therefore its activities are under the closest attention of Russian political elite. Many political experts say that in the Administration of the current president of Ukraine the theory has won that the most acceptable competitor for Yanukovich in the second round of presidential elections of 2015 is Oleg Tyagnibok. As a consequence the main authority’s resources will be thrown for realization of this scenario, and radicalization of Ukrainian society will increase.

Immediately after announcement of preliminary results of Ukrainian elections Russian political experts reservedly expressed their opinions concerning results of «Svoboda», which on the eve of the elections weren’t predicted by any sociological company. Right up to now the Russian authority and considerable part of Russian expert association with certain curiosity look at the representatives of «Svoboda» sometimes as at quite healthy people, sometimes as at the marginal persons who successfully found the time and place for a breakthrough to the big politics. Meanwhile Russian expert environment still has opinions, which call to consider «Svoboda» realistically as the Nazi party with quite well built structure, real ideology and considerable potential for development.

For the Russian Federation authority appearance of «Svoboda» representa-

The question about Ukrainian GTS, which year by year looses its liquidity and significance, also remains in suspension. Currently we can say that the Russian Federation is actually interested to proceed with operation of Ukrainian GTS. However intractability of Ukrainian colleagues concerning creation of gas-transport consortium and accession of Ukraine to the Energetic Charter will possibly lead to launching of «Northern stream» and «Southern stream» projects to their full capacity and this make Ukrainian GTS the monument of «outstanding» intractability of Ukraine.

In the context of «gas» problems in Russian-Ukrainian relations it’s necessary to consider the incident happened during signing of LNG-terminal building agreement. After all, the official who supervised this project haven’t even been fired from his position. On the basis of such examples the Russian Federation clearly understands all swings and roundabouts of «gas» collaboration with Ukraine.

with private, official or tourist purposes, 15% of Russian called Ukraine, 7% – Turkey and 6% – Byelorussia.

As compared with other countries, in Ukraine Russians have the largest number of relatives, close friends, and colleagues, whom they constantly keep in touch with. The rate is 21%; second and third places with considerable lead are shared by Byelorussia and Germany – 9% each.

Ukraine is one of the leaders of Russians’ interest rating in history, culture, and geography of different countries.

First place Russians give to Germany (15%), second – to France (14%) and third – to Ukraine (11%).

Russians are quite loyal to arrival of permanent workers, students, and specialists from Ukraine to Russia for working or studying (12%). It is outstripped only by Germany (24%), Byelorussia (14%) and Japan (13%).

Summing up all abovementioned we can again affirm that on the personality level the Russian and Ukrainian nations haven’t any important problems

This is «Svoboda» that embodies the Nazi ideology in Ukraine and therefore its activities are under the closest attention of Russian political elite Image of Ukraine by the Russian community In spite of various problems in Russian-Ukrainian relations, image of Ukraine and Ukrainian nationals in the Russian community is generally positive and benevolent. Such tendency is

that would considerably influence the attitude to each other. Such studies also demonstrate that the residents of Ukraine and Russia are very similar, they have rather wide spectrum of relationships and absolutely huge potential for mutual projects.

www.thekievtimes.ua

UKRAINE/PERSON

15

SERGEY TATUSYAK: DEPUTIES OF THE VERKHOVNAYA RADA NEED TO LEARN AT THEIR COLLEAGUES FROM LOCAL COUNCILS We’ve met with the chairman of Vinnitsa regional council Sergey Tatusyak during one of his official visits to the capital to talk about creation of the Euro-region «Dniester», reformation of the local self-government and advantage of international grants for the local budgets Written by Alexandra Pogorelaya

W

hat was last year 2012 for the Vinnitsa regional council?

2012 was extremely rich with important and pre-configuring events. I.e. everything what was happening in the region politically and economically, directly or indirectly influenced live of all Vinnitsa region residents. And I’m sure that it will influence on the region’s development in future.

On the 2nd of February Vinnitsa region and Moldova Republic officially consolidated agreement about creation of the Euro-region «Dniester». The agreement on our side was signed by me and the former chairman of state regional administration Nikolay Jiga, and on the side of Moldova – by the heads of six regional councils.

In the same February we celebrated 80 years of Vinnitsa region. The regional council organized a circular table about «International collaboration

European Union and to receive constructive endorsement for development of our projects.

Union’s organizations. Simultaneously we will develop other directions. This is international collaboration both inside Ukraine and abroad. We have acting agreements with Mazovetski, Lodzinski, and Sventokshinski provinces of Poland, Sverdlov region of the Russian Federation, and Romanian-Moldavian Euro-region «Siret-Prut-Dniester».

We are active also in the local self-government. We will advance the interests of territorial communities before the central authority. Vinnitsa region is ready to start reform’s realization in the capacity of a pilot region.

What projects do you mean?

This is such scaled infrastructure directions like building of automobile and railway bridge «Yampol–Kosoutsy» (cost is 8 mln euro), modernization of treatment facilities in settlements on Dniester bank (5 mln euro), and building of driveways to checkpoint «Bronnitsa–Ungur» (3 mln euro). Besides about twenty projects today are in ope­ ration, and several micro-projects in the sphere of culture, education, and medicine are currently being realized.

Last year we attracted 1,5 million hryvnas to the region this way. In ge­ neral the grant activity via social organizations brought Vinnitsa region about 5 million hryvnas.

To June the president charged the government with completion of formulation of the Regional development state strategy for the period to 2020. Probably you will intently watch this process as it was Vinnitsa region that started this work first?

Is this the uniqueness of Vinnitsa region?

And not only this. (Smiling). We are called the pioneers in much what we do. For instance, after commencement in 2011 of the Ukrainian Law «About principles of prevention and opposition to corruption» Vinnitsa region was first that approved its regional anti-corruption programme. Social organizations presented it in other regions, in the National academy of public ma­ nagement at the president of Ukraine.

The same organizations developed and now introduce measures foreseen by the programme. They are: «Laboratory of social expertise», «Anti-corruption portal of Vinnitsa region» and others.

The same high expert assessment (including the foreign ones) received

Photographer Alexander Lobanov

Vinnitsa region and Moldova Republic officially consolidated agreement about creation of the Euro-region «Dniester» and strong regional diplomacy as foundation of the European integration».

In the network of its program we were first visited by the General Secretary of the European regions assembly Pascal Goergen. /Vinnitsa region entered the European regions assembly on November 2011. – ed./ In April together with Poles we started realization of mutual grant project called «Creation and beginning of activity of Vinnitsa regional association of local self-government». The project took place owing to the program «Po­ lish assistance to development-2012» of the Ministry of foreign affairs of Polish Republic. And the executing partners have become Vinnitsa department of International social organization «Ukraine-Poland-Germany», Wielkopolski Center of education and courses of self-government (Poznan, Poland), and Vinnitsa regional council.

In October we «captured» Europe.

(Smiling) On the 12th of February there was a presentation of the European region «Dniester» in the Committee of regions of the European Union (Brussels) and opening of the official office of the Euro-region «Dniester» and Vinnitsa region.

Each of these events is the achievement of today. What’s next?

«Dniester» Euro-region isn’t a onetime action but the economic project.

With its help we introduce European values and standards into live of Ukrainian and Moldavian people. We developed and submitted several infrastructure projects to the European

From June 2011 we have been forming strategic development plan for each populated place – from the smallest village to the whole region. We have already reached the final stage: 80% of territorial communities approved their development strategies to 2020 at the local councils’ sessions.

Were there any troubles?

Total lack of information, ignorance of political and social realities, and unwillingness to know something and do something – these are far from all negative factors, which we faced in territorial communities with. But our specialists, public figures, and deputies during a year and a half have been vi­ siting each village, city, and region and conducting educational activity. Large part of skeptics became our allies and activists.

Together with working in the region we represented our initiatives in the government, the parliament, allUkrainian and international social organizations. As a result, on the 25th of December 2012 the Council of regions adopted resolution about formulation

strategies the Vinnitsa document will be the most realistic and effective because it was formed bottom-up – from territorial community to the regional level.

Does the economic situation in Vinnitsa region allow realizing Strategy-2020 and the project scheduled in its network?

Economy of region depends on the county’s economy in general. It is impossible to provide life activity of a region exceptionally by local budget

80% of territorial communities approved their development strategies to 2020 at the local councils’ sessions of regions development strategies on the state level to 2020. President Victor Yanukovich also gave correspondent commissions to the Cabinet of Ministers and regional administration. I’m sure that finally among all regional

resources. We followed the way of attracting off-budget resources to the region. These are domestic and international donor-funds, the governmental programs of other states. For example, last week the government of Japan

In Ukraine the problem of reformation of regional authority and local government has been maturing for 20 years granted for financial assistance about 2 million dollars to Trostyanec and Kazatin regional hospitals to purchase me­dical equipment in the network of grant assistance to the project of human security «Kusanone». The region has got this possibility due to collaboration of Vinnitsa regional committee of youth organizations and International social organization «Regional center of transboudary collaboration Euro-region «Dniester».

And we make a big stake on «Dniester» right now. We’re using Euro-region format as a mechanism of the region’s socio-economic development consolidation. For instance, only with the help of the Euro-region last year we managed to raise the problems of ecology of Dniester and intersection of Ukrainian-Moldavian border before the

our second programme – «Assistance to development of civil society in Vinnitsa regions for 2012–2015». After its presentation on the meeting of Coordination council for problems of civil society development at the president of Ukraine it was taken as a basis for development of «Public management strategy of assistance to civil society development in Ukraine»…

Local self-government reform is your big thing…

This is the question of my life. Not as the chairman of a council, the deputy, and pubic figure but as a citizen.

Because power reform and decentralization we are talking about concern each sphere of a human vital activity without exception and regulate his relations with the state. In Ukraine

the problem of reformation of regional authority and local government has been maturing for 20 years. Unfortunately, all these years the question of decentralization hasn’t been seriously brought up. That’s why the laws concerning activity of local government bodies are far from perfection.

Moreover, in Ukraine a number of requirements and principles of the European Charter of local government isn’t fulfilled. There are problems in the current Ukrainian Constitution, which consolidates high status of local government, authorize self-governing bodies, but in practice there is no possibility to realize them. They still aren’t succeeded to decentralize budget system and realize the principle of budget formation «bottom-up» declared in the Budget code of Ukraine. The right of community to manage communal property unfortunately also remains legally unsecured as there is no correspondent law. As a result the territorial communities and their autonomous bodies remain face to face with their problems.

What was the reaction from center?

Not like we wished it to be, but there is progress on the level of Administration of the President and profile committee of the Verkhovnaya Rada.

By the way, on the 5th of February at the meeting with the speaker Vladimir Rybak I repeatedly uttered our requirements before the new Parliament members. In the name of the regional council and local government congress I’ve called people’s deputies to terminate formation of an effective legal field in the sphere of regional and local self-government by means of adoption of new and improvement of the current legislative acts. These are laws of Ukraine «About local government in Ukraine», «About foundations of regional policy», «About state strategic planning», «About communal property» and others.

Under current complexities in the parliament when it is more blocked then works probably this won’t easily happen…

The deputies of the Verkhovnaya Rada have to learn at their colleagues from local councils. When a question important for the region’s live activity is raised in the Vinnitsa regional council, political ambitions go to the background. But indeed I hope for consciousness of our parliamentarians and their responsibility for pre-election promises. As many of them had declarations about administrative reform and reform of the regions’ authority in their programs. And promises should be redeemed.

16

CULTURE

THE KIEV TIMES | MARCH, 2013

NATALIA ZABOLOTNAYA: WE FIGURE ON A MIRACLE PREPARING ARSENALE 2014!

The director general of «Mystetsky Arsenal» Natalia Zabolotnaya exclusively for The Kiev Times has told about new Ukrainian names on the world’s art-scene, about life of «Mystetsky Arsenal», and about course of preparation to the main cultural events of the country in 2013 and 2014 Written by Alexandra Pogorelaya

The projects of «Mystetsky Arsenal» for the last two years have been attended by more than half a million virtuosos. In Ukrainian society there is a huge demand for cultural product.

Sometimes owing to the projects of «Arsenale» the Ukrainian capital would become the place of cultural pilgrimage.

I’d like to reconstruct the old good tradition of spending spare times in museums, galleries, theatres, and concert halls instead of family holidays in trade and entertainment centers. Today every cultural institution has a complex task: not to only satisfy the demand of professional audience but to form «demand for culture» in wide social circles.

Sponsorship is important question for the whole museum sphere in Ukraine. Cultural institutions’ support by private capital is a worldwide practice, due to which brilliant art collec-

euros during a month! Examples of creation of such organizations like Smythsonian institute in Washington or the museum of Piano in Venice for private funds are also demonstrative. We also created first Ukrainian club of museum

Comparison of Kiev biennale with the oldest Venice biennale in international mass media demonstrates that Ukraine has «sounded» in the world support and work hard to unite people, who are fascinated with art, share our values, and wish to render assistance in «Arsenal» development.

Investment into culture, upbringing and education of new generations is a vaccination for society from many systematic problems in future. Everybody should realize that culture and spirituality comprise one’s responsibility zone. And it is necessary for any of us to help the common cause. It is important to understand that «Mystetsky Arsenal» is a national project: the object of national pride and to certain extent the embodiment of the national idea.

Ukraine is conquering strong positions in the world’s art-space. Our artists actively participate in international art-movement – they win exhibitions and residences, receive grants for their projects’ realization in different countries of the globe. Our creativity is perfect. But it is necessary to work on image, national identity, and the past interpretation.

In the Soviet period many valuable exhibits from Ukraine appeared in Moscow and Petersburg. Many Ukrainian authors of the past – Borovikovsky, Levitsky, and Malevich – are traditionally related to Russian and other cultures. Our most important task is to return our history in the art.

To break through under conditions of strict and commercialized system of the world’s art, the artist needs many things, instead of his talent.

State lobby on various levels as well as support of the national cultural product and significant state projects – biennale, festivals, and forums. Just like this the Chinese, Latin American and even Russian art busted into the world’s art-scene. Besides the fine art is one of the best investment objects. In the result of proper investments Herst, Kuns, and Kusama have their amazing records.

B

iennale has become some kind of a Rubicon that divided life of «Arsenal» and the entire Ukrainian art-scene into «before» and «after».

Biennale format is extremely complex, and partly this is the reason why not every country ventures it. Art commu-

The team of «Mystetsky Arsenal» works over the strategy of the complex’s museum component deve­ lopment. As restoration of «Arsenal» building, no matter how scaled and complex it is, will be over sooner or later. That’s why today we prepare pro­

The key cultural projects have to be considered as a part of the state development strategy nity for about a decade and a half has been dreaming about conduct of the Ukrainian biennale. But to «dream» considerably differs from to «do». It was important to initially fix the highest level of the project, and first of all, the artistic one. And comparison of Kiev biennale with the oldest Venice biennale in international mass media demonstrates that Ukraine has «sounded» in the world. Complexities and troubles are forgotten and in the history remains the accomplished fact – Kiev biennale took place and was successful!

We’re already preparing to the second biennale, which will take place in autumn 2014. We conduct active dialogue with potential curators. For the present I won’t reveal all cards. But I wish to say that they are world famous professionals in their spheres and have considerable weight in the artistic environment. Topically we wish to concentrate on the history of Ukraine as the crossroads of western and eastern traditions, and expositionally go beyond the limits of «Arsenal» halls to the urbanistic city space, on the one hand, and on the other hand, as the last time, make a parallel program with participation of art institutions of Ukraine.

jects important and resonant for the whole Ukrainian cultural community for the following several years.

In modern society the notion and perception of a museum has changed. It becomes wider and more extensional. The museum is not only exposition halls and funds with collection. This is first of all the live organism. Concentration of cultural life, education, and art. The space, where human cognizes the world and himself.

Our team strives to create such museum where it would be possible not only to preserve but to comprehend and interpret our heritage, and design pro­ jections to future.

Exhibition «Great and majestic» promises to become the largest project of 2013. It will open the day before celebration of 1025 years of the Kievan Rus’ christening. The project by its scales is already pretends to all-Ukrainian museum biennale, which every two years would present the projects connected with the history of Ukrainian art. This would become great possibility for museums of Ukraine to actualize their collections, open for society the most valuable works that

due to different reasons were kept in storerooms and closed for the public at large. «Great and majestic» shall become another step in direction of the country’s positive image as the international experts included «Arsenal» to their «must see» lists long ago.

We wish to represent the legendary sculpture exhibition of Ioann Pinzel in «Arsenal». In due time the genius of museum business Boris Voznitsky dreamt about such exhibition. It was he who actually saved this collection and opened Pinzel for Ukraine and the world. I’m sure – once having won the visitors of Louvre in Paris, it shall win Ukrainian audience again in the walls of «Mystetsky Arsenal». Ukraine needs bright cultural brands. Pinzel’s exhibition in Kiev is a triumphal return of our genius to Ukraine that will give us a perfect reason to be proud of our country.

Biennale fulfilled its task – the world started to talk about Ukraine. Influential experts and representatives of different countries’ cultural elites got to know about «Arsenal». Hundreds of Ukrainian and foreign mass media representatives were accredited on biennale. Many artists from all over the world send us requests for participation in the following biennale. Diplomatic governments of various countries address to us with offers and projects.

Ambassadors of eight states of Northern-Atlantic Alliance and Baltics took the initiative to create special project in the network of the Second Kiev Biennale. The minister of culture of Poland Bogdan Zdroevsky having attended ARSENALE 2012 initiated triennale of modern art in his country.

THE KIEV TIMES WILL BECOME THE GENERAL PARTNER OF «USA-UKRAINE» JOURNAL In April 2013 the first issue of new illustrated journal about Ukraine USAUKRAINE OBSERVER will be published in Washington

T

he publisher is the Fund «Spiritual Diplomacy» with the main mission of preventing conflicts in the world with

the help of the conflicting parties’ spiritual values. The Fund was established in 1991 upon recommendation of Mikhail Gorbachev by the writer and theologian Michael Morgulis.

The Kiev Times will be the general partner of USA-UKRAINE OBSERVER journal.

tions and educational programs are created, and correspondent museums are developed. Even Louvre with its striking flow of tourists of 10 million people per year can’t survive without considerable line in the state budget without assistance of huge amount of well-wishers and sponsors, who support the museum via charity funds, club organizations, and other mechanisms. Responding to Louvre’s appeal to help the museum not to lose canvas of Lucas Kranah «Three Graces» the French collected million

In America the idea of a journal about Ukraine appeared during one of the official visits of Michael Morgulis to Kiev. Meeting with Ukrainian politicians, journalists, and public figures he managed to see Ukraine absolutely in a different way then if to look from a continent holding up on the cowboys.

USA-UKRAINE OBSERVER journal is called to familiarize American society with life of modern Ukraine, objectively report events in the sphere of politics, science, cultural life, and religion. It’s not secret that American political elite and American society in general are in captivity of stereotypes concerning modern Ukraine.

Work on the first issue will be conducted by analytics, researchers, and journalists authoritative in USA and Ukraine.

First readers of the journal will be representatives of new generation of Ukrainian families who live in America and who consider English their native language.

The journal’s office will be located in Washington not far away from the White House.

international art-context and bring the «mountain to Mahomet». Thus, in March in Warsaw center of modern art «Uyazdovsky Palace» there will be opened the exhibition of Ukrainian artists, planned according to the results of

Without state and private support the Ukrainian artists unfortunately can’t count even on a worthy presentation in the national hall in Venice.

But they gain reputation of strong mas-

the work over a special Ukrainian-Polish project of the First Kiev Biennale.

Quality preparation of the Ukrainian biennale ARSENALE 2014 requires time, money, and state guarantees.

The key cultural projects have to be considered as a part of the state development strategy. Experience of the first biennale convinced everybody that such events are real catalysts for society in general, and not only for artistic environment. Because the modern art like nothing else concentrates your attention on the main problems of modernity. And if you can simply fan off annoying TV set or chaotic Internet, art hits the very heart. Image dividends for the country are also obvious.

If you are not interested in politics, it will be interested in you. Fortunately, the political subjects can’t often directly influence canvases and installations.

There is no special censure pressure or political request nn the Ukrainian art.

But organizationally the sphere of culture strongly depends on politics and economy of the country. When country is seized by political fever then the following question is put on the agenda: will museums and art-projects remain financed? Will they continue to invest in art? Possibly, the current situation in Ukraine shall influence active development of democratic and socially significant directions of art. But in general the system of culture always suffers from such shock.

I’d like to separate a number of names out among the most active and fruitful young domestic artists.

They are: Janna Kadyrova, Nikita Kadan and the whole group «R.A.P.», Nikolay Ridniy and group «SOSkа», Hamlet Zinkosky, Alexey Zolotarev, Nazar Bilyk, Dobrynya Ivanov, and Illya Prunenko.

Foreign art-centers and residences have become their milieu long ago. They perfectly fit into the world trends and talk to audience in absolutely modern and relevant language – Ukrainian language of the world art.

«Arsenale-2014» will certainly take place! If the Ministry of culture renders organizational and financial support of this event this will be great! If we

There is no special censure pressure or political request in the Ukrainian art ters, talented painters and convincing conceptualists on art-presentations and less scaled exhibitions in various places of the globe. But Ukrainian artist deserve the best positions. Under assistance of Kiev biennale we’re trying to introduce Ukrainian names into

manage to attract large sponsors, this will turn our burden to the feasible one.

Today we’re preparing the brightest exhibition hoping for a miracle. But in any case we’ve learnt to work wonders and prepare for the Second Kiev biennale in 2014 rain or shine.