The Kiev Times /October 2013/ by The Kiev Times

STEP TO EUROPE

THE INK. A NOSE TO THE WIND!

EUROGAY

THE PROTEST AS IT IS

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INTERNATIONAL INFORMATION AND ANALYTICAL EDITION THE KIEV TIMES www.thekievtimes.ua OCTOBER 2013

THE OLD FOX SHOULD STAY BEHIND BARS

EUROYALTA. BUT TRUTH IS DEARER STILL

The Ukrainian society has a formed opinion about Tymoshenko comprehensive support in Germany and the lobbying of her interests by German journalists. Opposition politicians and journalists assert that the whole Germany is waiting for Tymoshenko. We support the readers’ acquaintance with the comments of average Germans to the articles about Tymoshenko, in the respective German editions. German readers consider Tymoshenko wary; the support in Germany is exaggerated by Tymoshenko’s followers by a thousand times.

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KRISTIINA OJULAND: UKRAINE WILL JOIN THE EU IF PEOPLE WISH TO

FRANCOIS-XAVIER LERY: UKRAINE IS A RECEIVER OF COUNTERFEIT MEDICINES

RENAT KUZMIN. MEETING WITH THE PRESS IN BERLIN

The European Council is seriously concerned about the problem of pharmaceuticals legal market’s protection. An underground network of fake medicines’ sale has wrapped the entire Europe. A correspondent of The Kiev Times talked about counterfeit pharmaceuticals and their end market in the EU countries with the head of department of pharmaceutical service, consumers’ health protection and struggle against the counterfeit production of the European Directorate for the Quality of Medicines and Health Care (EDQM) Francois-Xavier Lery.

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SYRIA. OPINION OF THE ONE WHO DOESN’T CARE

By the end of the first ten-day period of September 2013, almost nobody doubted that there were only days or even hours left to the beginning of a military campaign of the USA. The campaign against the next victim designated by the USA, and again, under a delirious pretense that nobody believes, even the invaders themselves. The general comprehension of the artificiality of the motive does not affect anything yet. Is it worth for the United States of Aggressors (USA) to seek for support of the «international community» in such issue? The lustful politicians of Washington offered to discuss the «Syrian issue» at the UN…

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THE UKRAINIAN OPPOSITION’S SAD AUTUMN-2013

It is not right to make the signature of the Ukraine-EU Association Agreement and the fate of the entire Ukrainian nation contingent upon one criminal case. On September 17, the then First Deputy Prosecutor General of Ukraine Renat Kuzmin had a discussion with some German journalists at the Literature House in Berlin.

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RAINER LINDNER: THE NEW OLD BUNDESTAG

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WHAT «ASTROLOGERS» ARE HIDING FROM THE PRESIDENT?

The Ukrainian opposition wasn’t in its best form when they met 2013 political autumn. What was the reason? Summer was too wild…

Although previously it was the mantra about «European integration» constantly heard from some of them – even if accompanied by a careful quibbling about the necessity of maintaining friendly relations with Russia – and respect to Moscow and its ruling elite was constantly expressed, now you switch on a TV set and – when the matter is about Russia – you sometimes hardly understand who’s speaking: either an ultranationalist from the «Svoboda» or a deputy from the Party of Regions.

On September 22, 61.8 million German citizens elected the new Bundestag. While the winners are absolutely obvious – BundesChancellor Angela Merkel and the Christian and Democratic Union led by her – the government establishment after the liberals’ withdrawal from the Bundestag is becoming quite exciting.

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OPINION

THE KIEV TIMES | OCTOBER 2013

EVERY LITTLE HELPS…

TIME TO CHOSE

By Olga Medvedeva

By Anatoliy Tolstoukhov

Quotations are markers determining the vocabulary and the thinking attitudes of an epoch. The Kiev Times has collected the most highranked and significant expressions of famous figures. These words affected the information flow in September and forestalled those responses that are going to be given in October

After the summit of the Eastern-European partnership in Lithuania, Verka Serduchka can easily go to politics. Although the Ukrainian freak tried so hard to prove that he didn’t sing «Russia, good-bye!» on the «Eurovision-2007», no one believed him and closed the Russian scene for several years for him…

Ekaterina Abdullina, soloist of the National Opera of Ukraine Facebook «I’ve sent my kid to the Russian high school and had never regretted about this. All subjects are perfectly clear and plain. What I liked best was a solemn line – I was even crying. Senior pupils spoke Russian very beautifully. They sang and read poetry. In general, the contingent of parents and children differs markedly from those plebs’ Ukrainian schools. In the first class they study Ukrainian language three times a week, and graduates speak it not worse than graduates of Ukrainian schools. I’m happy that my daughter is studied among morally healthy children and not among that plebs». Viktor Yanukovych, the President of Ukraine Meeting with representatives of the Ukrainian TV-channels «After receiving the information about what is going on over the Russian border, I immediately called President Putin and asked: «What is it?» Vladimir Zhirinovskiy, leader of the Liberal Democratic Party of Russia «Russia 24» TV-channel’s broadcast «Donbass is Russia, Crimea is Russia. But Peter the Great presented a city near Kharkiv to a war lord he liked… What are you doing?! Kharkiv is a Russian city! Later Donbass was presented by Stalin! Come on guys, take it! Does that Georgian grudged the Russian lands? Then Khrushchev – take the Crimea! What’s that? What’s this policy?» Sergey Glazyev, Vladimir Putin’s advisor for the Customs Union «Echo of Moscow» radio broadcast «A week ago I had a discussion with a very informed person in Kiev. He came to me and said: «Don’t worry; they will sign this association agreement. They have accounts abroad; they have houses, property and capitals there. Those who know, showed them that these accounts are not a secret. There is such procedure – a struggle with laundering of illegal gains. Instruments of struggle with illegal gains will be applied to their maximum, in relation to the Ukrainian political establishment». Vladimir Putin, the RF President Meeting of the «Valday club» «We see that many EuroAtlantic countries have actually followed the way of rejection of their roots, including Christian values that are forming the basis of western civilization. There is a rejection of principles and any traditional identity – national, cultural, religious and even legislative. There is a policy, which equalizes the entire families and unisexual partnership, belief in God and belief in Satan». Ban Ki-Moon, UN Secretary General Speech in New York «Tragedy in Syria is our common failure. It will become a blemish of the UN and all its member states».

ow Ukraine is following the way of Verka Serduchka in the «Euro-integration» process. It doesn’t say «Russia, good-bye!» but its goods are not allowed to the Russian market and default is predicted… In the ХХ century the RussiaSoviet Union often took part in reshaping of the map of Europe. At the end of the ХХ – the beginning of the ХХI the Soviet Union was influenced by consequences of the October revolt, the world «socialistic fire», two world and «cold» wars under conditions of globalization process. In the struggle for a new world order it is found out that all old means are good, although are democratized to the maximum. Is there a country in Europe that is more appropriate for their testing than Ukraine? – Of course, not. Four Presidents, … two Leonyds and two Viktors; two couples of antagonists who even now,

gathering from an event to an event, live separately and oppositely, and understand this pretty well. Leonyd Kravchuk offered Ukraine outside the Soviet Union. Leonyd Kuchma came to a conclusion that «Ukraine isn’t Russia». Viktor Yuschenko called in question that Ukraine isn’t for Europe. Yanukovych is trying to represent Ukraine as Ukraine. But for that it is necessary not only to integrate Ukraine into Europe but to consolidate Ukraine. This is a very difficult task to do in a short period of time – from elections to elections. And this is the core of all demo-totalitarian experiments, in the result of which 45 mln Ukrainians are split in their choice, position and perspectives… Three of the «group of four» made everything to let the world watch the story about a woman in politics, no matter where she is – on the Olympus or in jail. She also shuttled and is currently shuttling

VALDAY ELEGY By Dmitry Vydrin

I’ve spent about a week on the lakeside of the crystal clear Valday lakes. A thought about the fact that there are springs somewhere in their depths that nourish the old Dnieper and full-flowing Volga excited my imagination and composed me to a philosophical mood. The first day, this philosophical mood didn’t allow me to focus on the speeches of my colleagues – some political experts from 48 countries of the world

nfortunately, speeches of political scientists, especially politicians, are often more blurred and loaded like municipal standpipes than transparent like forest springs. But as an experienced participant of endless political forums, I skillfully and slyly tried to entertain myself by inventing some incidental intellectual games. I started from reading some short story in the Internet, and then – having bestowed

a casual look upon one of the participants – I invented my own story. For instance, I’ve read that Hemingway won the prize for the shortest affecting everyday story: «Sale: baby shoes. Never used». I threw a casual look around and it found one of the main Russian oppositionists and sponsors of the opposition, former State Duma deputy Gudkov. And an immediate political tragedy came to me: «Sale: deputy badge.

between Europe and Russia, continuing to bisect herself, splitting her «Batkivshchyna», opposition and society deeper. A talented criminal has become a symbol of freedom, democracy and justice. She has become one of the factors of Ukrainian, European and world politics… Time will show what the year 2013 is going to be for us. This year is unusual… The 1025th anniversary of Ancient Rus’ christening! We must believe! The 70th anniversary of liberation of Kiev and a part of Ukraine! We must remember! The 22nd anniversary of independence! We must build! Choice of politicians has to be the choice of society. It has to become a civilizational path but not a geopolitical way. The choice must strengthen but not destroy faith, memory and democracy. We have to become nation. Yalta-2013 said «Yes»

to the European Union. Russia said «Good bye» to Ukraine. This means that our country has years of certainty and at the same time uncertainty ahead. Certainty for Russia… Uncertainty of perspectives in Europe… Can we preserve sufficient sanity and wisdom, sovereignty and power, democracy and flexibility to consolidate society? Can we strengthen the state and a person who is able to understand that our ways can and must

lie to the East and to the West but our path is straight ahead. Today Ukraine is accepted and understood by Europe and Russia mostly in their interests...

Almost never used». Or I’ve read a story that won a competition with the condition of combining sex, dynasties, religion and mystery. «My God, – shouted the Queen, – I’m pregnant but I’m not quite sure who the father is!» My look was already on the famous female oppositionist with considerable political past and seemingly round stomach, and then a political and religious elegy came to me: «Formerly I was a minister and prayed. Now I’m praying but I’ve been deprived of my ministry mandate». Or here is a thing from some horror stories written by O.Henry: «Driver lighted up and bowed over a petrol tank to see how much petrol was left. The dead man was 23 years old». And I, looking at an unshaven, flabby, weary familiar expert, was already imagining his brief terrible story: «Coffee disappeared. By the way, my wife disappeared as well»… That’s how I amused myself until my consciousness was caught by a phrase that seemed

phrase told by the main Valday dialogues’ organizer – Sergey – became something like the leitmotif of the entire conference and was many times repeated not only by the experts but also by the highest echelon politicians. As for me, as a person who is not indifferent to semantics and is sensitive to resonance, sounding, sacral energy of each word, was unpleasantly scratched by something in this phrase. First of all, the word «catch». It arouses some literally sick associations and metaphoric images. As we know, sometimes one can «catch», «pick up»… etc. something. This word is not evidently fitting to a country with such great ambitions that cannot be implemented without great plans, strategies and conceptions. And these notions can not be «caught» and even less «picked up». Second, the word «fun». For some reason I have a stable feeling that good things are not done for fun. A temple can’t be built for fun, for instance. But to destroy it for fun – without ceremonies! A great long-term

with the essence of numerous, often senseless and absurd mutual conflicts that shake the Ukrainian-Russian political and economic space from time to time. These conflicts have too much of that fun. When one makes single-step decisions, which make wounds to both the countries so that they need to be healed for years and even decades, depending on one’s mood, one’s momentary offence, nostalgia or jealousy. Fun by its inner content is deprived of meaningfulness, thoughtfulness, enlightenment and the main thing – a good charge. And I started to think what term might better substitute it, if I had a task of finding a motivator for a country, which is sinking with the global mission, without any fortune projects and experiencing a terrible lack of live energy; for a country, whose boundless space is still empty and lifeless, as it is not filled with creative and constructive energy. And, perhaps, I’d prompt to turn back to the partially

Ukraine! Your way is to the East, Your way is to the West, If you want to be Among the best. If you want to be a strong, Remember your history And don’t be wrong.

A phrase that seemed to me the most important in this international meeting. It was told by my good old friend, the famous Russian expert Sergey Karaganov: «Russia must catch fun!» to me the most important in this international meeting. It was told by my good old friend, the famous Russian expert Sergey Karaganov: «Russia must catch fun!» Then, by the way, this

plan cannot be established for fun. However, it’s so simple to steal something for fun, especially in small volumes. So, the game with the secret energy of this word prompted me

forgotten and unfashionable word «inspiration». Maybe this word went out of fashion because we actually live in a senseless time, and inspiration is always sensible. Or, more precisely, the sense-creating. That’s why during the conference and some talks with experts, writers and politicians, I wished their countries to try to enter that very mode of inspiration. Maybe today it is even the main modus for both our common life on this catastrophically diminished planet and our survival. For example, for me it is hard to imagine an operator of a guided-missile system, who enthusiastically aims his device onto the attacked object. The matter here can be only about fun, again. But having inspiration, one can build temples and scientific centers, or colliders, or simply a normal heterosexual family. That’s why, when we were summing up at the presidential buffet, I couldn’t help myself coming up to the conference’s host – the President of this country, which is currently grievously seeking itself – and offered him to drink: «We are for the inspiration – yours and ours!».

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POLITICS

RENAT KUZMIN. MEETING WITH THE PRESS IN BERLIN It is not right to make the signature of the Ukraine-EU Association Agreement and the fate of the entire Ukrainian nation contingent upon one criminal case. On September 17, the then First Deputy Prosecutor General of Ukraine Renat Kuzmin had a discussion with some German journalists at the Literature House in Berlin. The publication of his monograph «Political Pressure on Criminal Justice in Ukraine» was the purpose of his visit to Germany. The full text of this discussion is available on the edition’s official website. Here are some fragments of the discussion

Chief editor Alexandra Pogorila

Acting Director Artem Shamray

criminal liability, and laws providing treatment of Ukrainian prisoners in German hospitals. But this is an actual competence of the country’s legislative body and it’s difficult for me to forecast what decisions will be made by the Ukrainian Parliament.

Anna Snegur-Grabovskaya, the Ukrinform, Berlin office: You’ve mentioned the publishing of a book. Would you please tell us about it a little bit more?.. RK: I’ve been making a scientific research about political pressure on Ukraine’s criminal justice in Ukraine recently. It is about the manipulation of public opinion as a method to avoid or evade criminal liability. This is a scientific monograph, and the subject of the research are events connected with investigation of high-profile criminal cases against Ukrainian high-ranking officials… Paul Flückiger, Der Tagesspiegel: According to your opinion, was there a politically motivated prosecution in Ukraine? And if there was, then when did it take place?.. RK: …In every country all over the world, without any exception, it is the State that regulates public relations within its country. German state is not an exception. The regulation of a country’s domestic policy has always been one of the main state management functions… Political repressions are a deliberate illegal act of bringing people to criminal liability for their political activities or political views, as well as their taking political decisions. Any selective application of criminal law should be seen as the application of the criminal law to one persons and simultaneous illegal non-application of it to another persons who committed a crime… None of the Ukrainian officials you’ve listed was politically repressed, as they all were brought to criminal liability not for their political activities, not for taking political decisions but for common criminal offences that did not have absolutely anything to do with politics… Claudia von Salzen, Der Tagesspiegel: …What do you think are the chances of giving Tymoshenko medical assistance in Germany?

RK: …My functions include the investigation of particularly important and high-profile criminal cases… My task is to investigate crimes, gather proofs and present them to the General Prosecutor and the Court. And

Paul Flückiger: …If Verkhovna Rada should adopt such a law, would you welcome it?.. RK: If Verkhovna Rada should adopt the law you’re talking about, then, as a law-abiding citizen of Ukraine, I have to follow this law… Let me recall that cases against Yulia Tymoshenko have been initiated each year for 18 years. In general, since1995

Criminal Procedure Code that still has a Stalinism spirit. But here it’s worth mentioning that the new code was adopted in 2012, while Tymoshenko’s sentence was passed in 2011. Does it mean that this sentence had been passed from a form of justice that is, so to say, still permeated with the spirit of Stalin and Beria? RK: The new code’s enactment allowed us to provide a triple reduction of the arrested persons’ amount… Immediately after the CPC coming into force, several tens of thousands people were released from custody, since this code directly forbids the courts to arrest persons, who didn’t commit violent crimes…

It is not right to make the signature of the Ukraine-EU Association Agreement and the fate of the entire Ukrainian nation contingent upon one criminal case that’s my entire function as an investigator… Being in places of confinement, Yulia Tymoshenko demonstrated and declared her disease, and German Charité clinic offered its aid with some treatment. The Charité clinic specialists have been curing Tymoshenko in the Kharkiv hospital for more than one year. Of course, there are negotiations about her treatment. But these negotiations are outside my investigator competence…

24 criminal proceedings were initiated against Tymoshenko… Back to your question, I’d say that if the Ukrainian Parliament takes the decision to release

…Neither Tymoshenko, nor Yushchenko even tried to change the old, Soviet, Stalin’s, Beria’s CPC. During the five years of their ruling about a million

provides 100% negative effect on objective perception of the events… Andreas Metz: …Do you know that the approximation between EU and Ukraine is currently slightly frozen, because of the fact that Mrs. Tymoshenko is in prison. Everybody realizes that the agreement of association with the EU won’t be signed until Mrs. Tymoshenko is in prison… This means that it’s necessary to find a solution that would allow both parties not to lose their faces… RК: …Ukraine strives to become an EU member. Ukrainians wish to live in the free and democratic Europe. Ukrainians are ready to do everything possible to speed up their European integration process. Ukrainians do everything possible to get rid of their old Soviet communist past. Ukraine needs help from the developed democracy and its European partners. We are ready to change the Ukrainian legislation; we are ready for the most drastic reforms.

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Paul Flückiger: …Do you see any legal possibility to remit Tymoshenko for examination or treatment in Germany? RK: Let me focus you attention again on the fact that I’m an investigator, not a doctor.

KB №19426-9226P

Konrad Schuller, the FAZ: … You’re here in a private visit. Maybe, you might express your opinion as a private… RK: …250 000 people are in places of confinement in Ukraine. More than 100 women with the same disease that Tymoshenko has, serve their sentences in the same colony… And respective interstate agreements and respective political and legal decisions are needed to treat any Ukrainian prisoner in Germany…

Circulation

Paul Flückiger: …In Kiev there is a rumor that Verkhovna Rada could adopt a law allowing prisoners’ treatment abroad. RK: Verkhovna Rada can adopt any law… Particularly, Verkhovna Rada’s competence includes the amnesty adoption, as well as the adoption of laws decriminalizing

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Translation agency Translit Paul Flückiger (Der Tagesspiegel), Konrad Schuller (Frakfurter Allgemeine Zeitung), Claudia von Salzen (Der Tagesspiegel)

Tymoshenko and to stop all criminal proceedings against her and send her for treatment to Germany, this decision of the Parliament will be implemented. Konrad Schuller: …The arrest and the entire procedure were made according to the Ukrainian

Andreas Metz (Ost-Ausschuss der Deutschen Wirtschaft), company representative Silla, Anna Snigur (UkrInform), Pierluigi Mennitti (Lettera43/Europa quotidiano), Stefano Grazioli (Limes, Zeitschrift IT, CH)

Ukrainians were brought to criminal liability. 250 thousand people are in jail, and all of them were convicted under the old, Soviet, communistic procedure. Unfortunately, democratic Europe kept its silence and modestly pretended that didn’t notice anything. And only current Ukrainian authorities, current Parliament and President Yanukovych changed this situation and made several… revolutionary modifications to the criminal and legal procedure in Ukraine… Stefano Grazioli, Limes: … What do you think – why German authorities and the EU don’t believe such statements?.. RK: Many European politicians are in a grip of disinformation. This is mainly provoked by some manipulation in the sphere of information technology and by artificially invented problems, as well as by the labeling of Ukrainian officials… Lack of information always causes incorrect or inaccurate conclusions; some tendentiously selected one-side information

…And it would be incorrect to make relations between the 45-million Ukrainians’ nation and the EU contingent upon the trial of one criminal case in the Ukrainian Court. And it would be unfair in relation to 45 million Ukrainians, who wish to live according to the European standards, to make their dream to live in Europe contingent upon the solution of Yulia Tymoshenko’s case… Claudia von Salzen: You said that you’re sorry because German government representatives do not possess sufficient scope of information on Tymoshenko’s case, and you are going to change this somehow during your private trip. Are you going to make other declarations or you are talking only to us journalists? RК: I’m in Berlin to discuss the topic of my scientific monograph’s publishing in the German language in Germany… This book will give answers to the majority of your questions, and I’ll be glad if the responsible officials of German government would read this book.

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EU/INTERNATIONAL RELATIONS

THE KIEV TIMES | OCTOBER 2013

GERMANY. THE THIRD ADVENT OF ANGELA? By Evgeniy Morin

The results of parliamentary elections in Germany (which are the 18th in the whole postwar history) indicate that Germans «don’t change horses in the midstream» but do change their order in the team

he block of Christians and nonparty members of Christian Democratic Union and Christian Socialistic Union (CDU/CSU) led by the current chancellor Angela Merkel, scored 42% of German electors’ votes. This is nearly 8% better that the results of the same block

bag in these elections for all the faults of Merkel’s rule and failed to be elected in Bundestag… Perhaps, Vice-Chancellor and Minister of Foreign Affairs Guido Westerwelle bored the Germans by his pronounced exclusiveness in everything and that’s why he and his party flew over the parliament… Main Merkel’s opponent – the Social Democratic Party of Germany (SPD), the oldest German party that celebrated its 150th anniversary this May – has slightly improved its result in comparison with 2009. It scored 25.7% of votes in comparison with 23% in 2009 – the lowest elections’ result from 1949. The result of 2013 is a success but a very modest one... Even a post-communistic (from the former GDR) Left party – Die Linke – lost its weight in German electors’ sympathies. While in 2009 it scored 11.4% of votes due to its criticism against the ruling coalition and its social democratic policy, in 2013 voting it reached just 8.4%. Is it true that an elector finally passed on to the social democrats?

become the chancellor, only if the social democrats (26% of votes), the «Greens» (8%) and the Left (8.5%) agree upon a coalition. Together they score the same amount of votes in the Bundestag as the Merkel’s block does. In all other variants of coalitions – CDU/CSU and «Greens», CDU/CSU and Social Democrats – she would preserve her position as a chancellor. That’s how the observer of German newspaper Frakfurter Allgemeine Zeitung, Konrad Schuller, commented any Frau Angela’s possible political perspectives to the Ukrainian mass media. Herr Schuller is specialized in the subject of Eastern Europe, and he highly sympathizes with Ukraine. In general, it is clear that Merkel is going to likely be the first German female chancellor for the third term successively. But how her four-year rule in 2013-2017 is going to turn out for Europe and Ukraine, if there are no early elections? It’s clear that German bankers will save the states of the European Union (from Greece

Perhaps, Vice-Chancellor and Minister of Foreign Affairs Guido Westerwelle bored the Germans by his pronounced exclusiveness in everything

THE NEW OLD BUNDESTAG By Rainer Lindner

On September 22, 61.8 million German citizens elected the new Bundestag. While the winners are absolutely obvious – Bundes-Chancellor Angela Merkel and the Christian and Democratic Union led by her – the government establishment after the liberals’ withdrawal from the Bundestag is becoming quite exciting

in 4 years ago elections – then, in 2009, they scored 33.8% of votes. However, at that time, participation in elections made only 70% of the total electors’ amount, that is the lowest figure for the whole postwar history of Germany. On September 22, the elections were attended by slightly more Germans – figures are between 71.5 and 73%. But the liberals from Free Democratic Party (FDP) – the current coalition partners of the Merkel’s block – were not so lucky. By the results of these elections they will hardly overcome the barrier of 5% and get to this parliament – they scored 4.7%. But they fairly got 14.6% of votes in the elections of 2009. They were left holding the

Even the German Green Party (Grüne), which scored 10.4% of votes in 2009, has lost part of its electors’ sympathies, since they got only 8.4% of those who came to the elections. But the programme of «green energetic» is, at least, stepping through Germany. Moreover, even the perspectives of all APPs’ shutdown – for which the ruling CDU/CSU and SDP had ventured in 2011 after the catastrophe on Japan APP Fukushima – didn’t gain the greens the electors’ sympathies. Or maybe the Germans are not satisfied with today’s electricity tariffs with «green» margin? What are the results of the German elections? The only possibility to Merkel not to

to Portugal) that have serious financial problems. But they will do it with a subtle view and will require a «rendering of many small services» in return for each appropriated euro, with their traditional German accuracy. Hence, by the way, the struggle with European skeptic political parties on the agenda of the past All-German election campaign: they interfere with the new European financial order of German financiers. And the main result for Ukraine is a possible release of Tymoshenko, on which Frau Merkel is regularly insisting. I fear that soon the phrase «Carthage must be destroyed!» in Europe would be replaced by Merkel’s remark: «Tymoshenko must be released!».

of working places in Germany is at its highest level in its entire history, and the refunded taxes are at a record level as well. On September 22, electors clearly expressed their disagreement with the opposition’s demands concerning increase of taxes for well-to-do people and increase of taxes for agriculture. The first-priority tasks, that must be solved immediately after the German government’s creation, include a better management of the energetic transition. After the Fukushima catastrophe, Germany is planning to shut down all their currently working nuclear power plants until 2022. The development of new sources of energy is being done quite fast, however it is not coordinated on the mark, the project itself is quite costly and the necessary power supply lines are built too slowly. From the point of view of foreign economy Germany has to confirm its world status, which can be consolidated if the country should invest in good education, staff training and innovational technologies.

free trade and the introduction of a visa-free system. The Eastern Committee’s projects in Ukraine are diverse. For many years the Committee has been supporting the Waisenhaus-Projekt «Our children» in Kiev. It offers a new house for Ukrainian children, as well as assists international

On October 17, I’ve been invited to attend the International investment summit in Donetsk, which this year is about the topic of energy efficiency. From September 30 until October 4, 2013, during a series of events in the western Ukrainian city of Zhovkva, the subject of energy

Foreign policy

or the first time since 2005 or the first time in Bundestag’s history there is an opportunity to create a big coalition of Christian democrats (CDU/CSU) and Social democrats (SPD) – the coalition of Christian democrats with

Greens. The previous majority formed of Socialists, Greens and left parties that lost the elections is theoretically possible as well; and, strictly speaking, an autocratic rule of the CDU/CSU with a variable majority is not

also to be excluded. The BundesChancellor Angela Merkel receives support, most of all, owing to the good economic development of Germany and her consistent management of the European debt crisis. Today the amount

Now everybody is waiting with bated breath for a coalition partner of Christian democrats. They traditionally may receive the post of Minister of Foreign Affairs. However, no big changes in politics are foreseen, as Ms. Chancellor has a great impact on the foreign policy. If a SocialDemocrats’ representative becomes Ministry of Foreign Affairs, then relations with Russia would become less intense; if the post is taken by the Greens, more attention will be paid to human and citizens’ rights. The agreement of Ukraine associated membership and approximation to the EU by all the parties is quite positively perceived, but everybody emphasizes that this will affect the decision about Tymoshenko’s case. The Eastern Committee and the German economy are targeted to be involved in the tightest cooperation between Germany and Ukraine, for the

Now everybody is waiting with bated breath for a coalition partner of Christian democrats exchange in the sphere of social work, and contributes to the renewable energy resources in Ukraine. The energy efficiency demand in both the utility and industry spheres is the main issue for the Eastern Committee.

efficiency in the utility sector is going to be discussed. On November 5, in the context of the DEFIAC, the Eastern Committee will discuss the investment climate and the investments conditions in our country.

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POLITICS/INTERNATIONAL RELATIONS

EUROYALTA. BUT TRUTH IS DEARER STILL

Photo Ukrainian News

By Alexander Dudchak

From September 19 to September 22, 2013, the 10th Yalta annual meeting «Yalta European Strategy» took place in the Livadia Palace. The «Chomolungma» of lies, misleading terms, falsifications, cheap playing on feelings and emotions of an ignorant part of the Ukrainian population has been built on its materials and interviews through the press and TV-broadcasts. Any sorting and utilization of this trash can take years from conscientious scientists and honest analytics «…Only a few, very few people will guess and even realize what is going on. But we’ll put such people into the helpless position, turn it into a mockery, find the way to slander them and proclaim them dregs of the society». (fragment from «The Dulles plan»)

erhaps, on this has been taken a chance: to blot the informational space with a sweet slush. And explanations concerning «how the things are really going» will hardly be read or heard by anybody. Moreover, the owners of «domestic» (where «domestic», in this case, is a very conditional notion) mass media were direct participants of this annual media-Sabbath. The essence of the event was to put into semblance the nonalternative European course of Ukraine development; to persuade the Ukrainians that the «Euro-choice» is final, and no discussions are permitted; to tell that there is no going back and

European Union and NATO. Because, when the issue is open, of course people try to affect it. But when the line is drawn, there is nothing left than to accept the sovereign decision of an independent country». Mr. Sikorski lied three times in such a short text! We also can eat chocolate. And our pensioners would eat it until diathesis, if it were helpful to the Ukrainian economy. Do you wish to buy Ukrainian tanks or planes? This would help our economy’s stabilization much better. And perhaps Mr. Sikorski considers the relocation of the defense missiles in Poland as an improvement of Poland – Russia

«Тopol-М» to its arsenal. And finally, what «sovereign decision of the independent country» Sikorski is talking about? The Ukrainian nation set Viktor Yanukovych on the president’s chair upon his promises to integrate Ukraine into the Customs Union! Any sovereign decision could be taken only right at the Referendum. But the

relations? The words said at the beginning of August during the meeting with Kerry belong to him: «We are much pleased that finally we have a small but qualified American presence in Poland and American and Polish F-16 pilots are trained together. We’ll also welcome the defence missiles. All the practical agreements concerning this are ready». As a confirmation of this «improved relations», Russia applied its «Iskanders» in Kaliningrad region and added the newest ballistic missiles

patient attitude of the majority of the country’s population to the intrusion of the language of only 5% of its population, belief, and history views cannot last forever. Poroshenko – who confidently argue about the issues of European integration – also is not familiar with these statistics. «We ask the Ukrainian audience: do you want to support the

Glazyev said that, if Ukraine signs the Agreement of Association with the EU, it may expect the Ukrainian hetman’s (Mazepa) destiny Power knows what would be the result of this referendum, and that’s why it’s making everything possible to prevent any truly sovereign decision! Arseniy Yatsenyuk – one of the main Ukraine agitators of pro-European integration had, as usual, distinguished himself. He said that Ukraine is ready to open a new page of relations with the RF – without intimidation, without threats,

The Ukrainian nation set Viktor Yanukovych on the president’s chair upon his promises to integrate Ukraine into the Customs Union! it will never be; to reassure that Europe is waiting for Ukraine and is ready to protect it from the «… Russian attacks». See a brief review, based on some quotations from the participants’ speeches below. The head of the Poland Ministry of Foreign Affairs Radoslaw Sikorski: «I’m ready to eat more Ukrainian chocolate for the stability of Ukrainian economy. But look, relations between Poland and Russia improved since Poland had become the member of the

– the one where the rest of the country’s population lives – does not wish to live in the AustroHungarian Empire. One Europe – the one where they wish to get and about which they compose legends – is safe because there is no return from there. But it will be problematic to return from the other Europe. In contrast to the first one, it is real and located

with normal export, but under the condition of three «no» observance: «no» to the CU, «no» to the Russian language as the state one (in Ukraine) and «no» to military blocks with Russia. The problem of many of our European integrators is that they don’t suspect anything about the existence of two Ukraines and two Europes. One Ukraine – the one where they live – is still part of the Austro-Hungarian Empire but for some reasons its borders widened to Crimea, Lugansk and Chernigiv. Another Ukraine

farther West from Chop. There is a huge difference between the two Europes: the real one shows unemployment that beats all records, a huge domestic migration, an increase of housing and utility services tariffs, and a reduction of life standards. The «very clever» Great Britain is planning to go out of the real Europe – its «best» part. By the way, Iceland – that formerly planned to enter the EU – has changed its mind and now is going to conduct a REFERENDUM (!) on this issue. Possibly, Yatsenyuk is not familiar with the recent sociological researches conducted all over Ukraine in June-July 2013, by the Institute of Sociology of Ukraine NAS. To the question «Whom do you see as the main ally of Ukraine for the nearest five years», Customs Union received more than 48% and the European Union 29.6%. Unfortunately, more than 20% of the population are not yet determined, and their brains are the main object of the political strategists’ sorcery. Statements similar to the ones made by Yatsenyuk lead Ukraine to its final split that can happen not only in people’s minds but on the political maps as well. The

Customs Union or the integration with Europe? Fortunately, we have a considerably changed correlation now. For the first time in our history more than 50% of people support the European integration. Less than 30% support the Customs Union». Poroshenko acquired survey skills from Shuster: to ask only the thoroughly selected audience, which is present in the hall. But he has his own selfish or, more precisely, «chocolate» interest: the production of his several enterprises is currently underfed in Russia. The only hope is the appetite and love of desserts of Mr. Sikorski from Poland. Minister of Foreign Affairs of Sweden Carl Bildt had not read «The Twelve Chairs» for sure. Otherwise, his speech wouldn’t be so similar to the epochal speech of Ostap Bender at the chess tournament in Vasyuki. The head of the Swedish Ministry of Foreign Affairs said that Ukraine’s joining to the Customs Union will lead to the reduction of GDP by 40%, and Ukraine’s Agreement with the European Union about the creation of a free trade zone, as he said, will help to increase the country’s GDP by 12%.

Nonetheless, the European Union’s GDP in 2011 increased by 1.6%, and in 2012 reduced by 0.3%. But Ukraine is undoubtedly an extraordinary country! And there are some special conditions prepared for it that are much better for the current members of the EU! Diplomats and politicians are such special people who always can explain why «it happened not the way one had wished». Maybe Herr Bildt even knows about certain corporations willing to share their positions in the European market? He will hardly find such corporations. But undoubtedly there will be more of them, such as the French manufacturer of the Airbus planes, which – without excessive curtsey – stated that is going to apply its best efforts to bar the Ukrainian aircraft industry from the European markets. The reaction of the occupied Ukraine’s mass media to the quiet warnings of Sergey Glazyev – the Russian President’s Advisor – is nervous and idiotic. He tried to warn Ukraine against the repetition of the hetman Mazepa’s way. Glazyev said that, if Ukraine signs the Agreement of Association with the EU, it may expect the Ukrainian hetman’s destiny: «Once we followed this way – it was the way of Mazepa that led to the well-known end. We’d like to avoid such an end, especially in the XXI century». We can ascertain that the quality of education in Ukraine has reduced below the permissible level, and this is confirmed by the commentaries to the words of Glazyev to one of the Ukrainian newspapers: «As it’s known, the army of Mazepa was broken by the Russian army, because he wanted to conquer his country’s independence». Those who studied the history know absolutely different things.

Photo UNIAN

A brief campaign for abolishing illiteracy for a snack Ivan Mazepa – who started his «carrier» from the «Pokoev» noblemen at the court of the Polish king Jan Kazimierz – having betrayed the king, passed on to his arch-enemy, the hetman Doroshenko. Eventually, after the assessment of the weakening abilities of the hetman Doroshenko, he betrayed him and passed on to Samoylovych, who raised him «to the height of the foreman rank». Then, having organized his master’s denunciation, he sent him together with his son to Siberia and passed on to Peter the First. He betrayed him as well – and then passed on to the side of the enemies who were burning Ukrainian cities and villages – Charles XII. However, only the small Cossack free lances passed with Mazepa to the Swedes, but due to their full moral degradation they were used by the Swedes

for shiftworks, as diggers, woodcutters, and porters during the Poltava siege. Moreover, they did those works to have grain in return. Like Swedish historian Peter Englund noted, «their soldiery spirit reached the lowers point; it was hard to force the Zaporozhye people carrying out orders, since they were literally ready to revolt». There could not be any battle near Poltava with the participation of these Cossacks, as it was tried to be feigned under the rule of Yushchenko. Almost all Cossacks and their foremen were fighting in the army of Peter the First for the preservation of all their property rights and titles. But who is studying history today? It was written for us by our elder brothers in mind – those who live farther West from Chop. And a nation that doesn’t know its history is doomed to a lack of future.

UKRAINE/POLITICS

THE KIEV TIMES | OCTOBER 2013

By Evgeniy Morin

The Ukrainian opposition wasn’t in its best form when they met 2013 political autumn. What was the reason? Summer was too wild…

he representatives of opposition parties that took part in the march-meeting in Kiev, where they opposed the police arbitrariness in Vradievka (Mykolayiv region), twice tried to prevent the Kiev City Council from holding meetings – in June (successfully) and in August (unsuccessfully). The leaders of opposition parties Arseniy Yatsenuk, Vitali Klitschko and Oleg Tyagnybok celebrated the

they arrived to the beginning of the Verkhovna Rada plenary meetings. The parliament session was opened under the absolute dominating issue of the Eurointegration laws, whit the progovernment majority setting the fashion. One could say that the oppositionists were bet on their own turf, having proved that instead of endless «words» about Europe, the «business» is done, and the necessary laws

heads of villages and settlements on December 15. This also didn’t provoke a large stir among the opposition that was supporting them. On one hand, the main intrigue of autumn – whether elections of the mayor and the Kiev City State Council‘s deputies are going to be called on December 15, 2013 – remained unsolved. But on the other hand, the very absence of any statements about possible

The reason of such smooth Tymoshenko’s position is the result of the unification between «Front zmin» and «Batkivshchyna», as well as the local struggle inside these organizations Ukraine’s Independence Day on different events and in different cities without interfering with each other… Summer mass actions, which had to show the electorate that the oppositionists were «implacably» struggling with the regime, didn’t manage to give such impression. The triune oppositionists were very quiet and calm when

for the signature of UkraineEU association in Vilnius in November are adopted. Against this background, even voting in the Rada on September 5, about additional elections of the Verkhovna Rada deputies in five majority districts on December 15, 2013, didn’t caused a burst of emotions. Parliamentarians voted about local elections of 95

common candidates from the opposition in ANY 2013 December elections raises some issues. Is it true that the opposition doesn’t still have any thoughts about these elections that can be publicly tabled? For the moment only the head of the «UDAR» party, Vitali Klitschko, has said that he considers necessary to hold the elections of the Kiev’s

WHAT «ASTROLOGERS» ARE HIDING FROM THE PRESIDENT? By Vladimir Kornilov

Judging by comments and actions of some representatives of the Ukrainian authorities and ruling party, in recent months their perception of RussianUkrainian relations have considerably changed

lthough previously it was the mantra about «European integration» constantly heard from some of them – even if accompanied by a careful quibbling about the necessity of maintaining friendly relations with Russia – and respect to Moscow and its ruling elite was constantly expressed, now you switch on a TV set and – when the matter is about Russia – you sometimes hardly understand who’s speaking: either an ultranationalist from the «Svoboda» or a deputy from the Party of Regions. There is no need to be an analyst to see what’s evident:

sharp comments in relation to Russia and statements about «a categorical vector of European integration» – heard from the deputies representing the Party of Regions – started to be expressed immediately after the meeting of President of Ukraine Viktor Yanukovych with his own party’s parliamentary faction. According to numerous testimonies of various «regionals», an honorable head of the party quite sharply demanded the obedience from the «pro-Russian wing» in the faction, and immediately offered the opponents of the European integration to leave the hall,

and then «blame themselves». Nobody left the hall after such an approach. So, the «volte-face» in the Party of Regions’ faction happened after a sharp speech of Viktor Yanukovych. That’s the question: when this volte-face occurred in Yanukovych himself, or – more precisely – in his rhetoric, that previously expressed a full rejection of any multi-vectorial policy, not to speak about a «proRussian» one? I’d like to drive your attention to the fact that in late August the sociological Research&Branding Group – whose opinion was

mayor and the Kiev City State Council‘s deputies on December 15, 2013. But «Svoboda» and «Batkivshchyna» still keep silence about Klitschko’s offers for the Kiev elections. «Svoboda» party doesn’t understand whom to support as a candidate for the Kiev’s mayor, since it doesn’t still have its own well-promoted person for the position of capital’s mayor. But «Batkivshchyna» is in the most complex condition in Kiev – and not only in Kiev. Even Yulia Tymoshenko in her interview from prison devoted just a small paragraph to the Kiev elections. «The fourth and the last. It’s impossible to surrender Kiev to invaders. We have to immediately determine a common candidate for Kiev’s mayor, and do our best to obtain urgent elections for the mayor and city council. The preservation of a non-legitimate authority in the capital would be a big mistake. On the eve of presidential election campaign it is especially inadmissible». Have you personally understood

WHAT exactly the party’s activists and electors in Kiev must do? Personally I haven’t. And, perhaps, I’m not the only one. The reason of such smooth Tymoshenko’s position is the result of the unification between «Front zmin» (Front of changes) and «Batkivshchyna», as well as the local struggle inside these organizations. Although on June 15, 2013, a uniting meeting of the parties took place in Kiev, at Sophia square, with a huge attending of people – but this just added more problems. Almost half of the «Batkivshchyna» regional organizations – 12 of 26 – signed an «Open letter to the conference» and opposed the unification. And those who opposed it were the Tymoshenko block’s veterans – for example, the heads of the Kiev City organization Mykola Tomenko and Yuri Odarchenko. The head of Khmelnitsk regional organization Vasyl Kravchuk was excluded from the «Batkivshchyna» in June because of his disagreement with Tymoshenko and Yatsenuk.

There is a very significant fact in order to understand the scales of this inner-party struggle: the «Front zmin» activists in Dnipropetrovs’k are driving the Yulia Tymoshenko’s nearest teammates and relatives out of the party, having preliminarily set them to the flunking places in 2012 elections list. In «Front zmin» there were those who were dissatisfied with unification – for instance, the head of Chernigov regional organization Olexander Nereta. He is charged with the loss of the party’s cash, though he repeatedly spoke against any unification with «Batkivshchyna», before. But such people can be understood, as in the new united party structure there will be half the number of «managerial places». And they don’t want to lose them so much… So, now we’re watching «Batkivshchyna» waiting – what comes next? Because the united party hasn’t built a new hierarchy inside itself, yet. And judging by scandals, this process will be long and difficult.

always deferred by the Party of Regions – conducted a survey about Russian-Ukrainian relations. For the first time the survey revealed some prevalence (45% vs 36% of the questioned people) of the idea of entering the European Union over the idea of joining the Customs Union with Russia. Formerly a similar picture was drawn only by the Razumkov’s Center, famous for its pro-western ideological charge. Recently the President’s Administration has been very sensitive to social surveys, considering them as something like astrologers at the court of a Baghdad caliph. It seems that someone of those people, who affect Yanukovych more than the processes in the Party of Regions, quickly put the survey’s results on the President’s table, persuading him that it is necessary to stop brewing the «pro-Russian» discontent in the faction and the Party in general, and that it is now possible, without hazarding the ratings, to proclaim public ideological war to Russia. Then the statements about the necessity to «blame themselves» began, and these statements were reinforced by a demonstrative revocation of mandate from the most active «anti-European» activist of the faction – Igor Markov. But did the Yanukovych’s closest advisors serve him well? Let’s begin saying that the answers to the last question of the abovementioned research were admittedly predetermined by a sequence of previously posed questions. You can judge by yourself: if you are several times asked about your attitude to the «trade war» launched by Russia against Ukraine (and that’s how those questions about «war» were directly put), what will you finally reply about Russia? This is actually a classic example of sociological practice! At the beginning of the 80s – a period of roiling emotions around the missile-defence program announced by Reagan – a solid American company of public opinion research conducted a survey about the ordinary citizens’ attitude to this program. But the question was different: the ones were asked about their attitude to the program of Strategic Defensive Initiative (official

title of the Reagan’s program), and the others were asked about the «Star wars programme» – that’s how the abovementioned initiative was called by the press. Overwhelming majority of citizens supported the SDI programme; the same amount categorically opposed «Star wars»! And it is not important that the matter was about the same initiative, but is a seemingly neutral survey contains the word «war», you can not to ask anybody - the word implies an admittedly negative reply. But even this is not the most important thing. I suspect that the «astrologers», who put this survey’s results on the «caliph’s» table, didn’t show him any more detailed analysis indicating that the residents of South-Eastern Ukraine – that is the electorate of Yanukovych and the Party of Regions, – even despite that the statement of the question contained the word «wars» – in their overwhelming majority (about 55% vs 25%) uniquely support the course to integration with Russia but not with the European Union! No matter what those manipulators do in order to push Yanukovych to pass the «point of no return» in the relations with Russia, but the basic electorate of the Party of Regions and the President himself always considered the issue about union with Russia as one of the key factors of their choice, some kind of a litmus paper for distinguishing a «friend» politician from an «alien» one. For a considerable category of the most active electors in SouthEastern Ukraine, a deterioration of the relations with Moscow would become an even more categorical «point of no return» in their electoral preferences. They will not forgive Yanukovych for the breaking-off with Moscow, done in Yuschenko’s manner. And it seems that nobody explains this either to the President or to those deputies who decided not to «blame themselves». Yes, more than 70% of the questioned residents in western Ukraine demonstrated their choice in favor of the EU, but not in favor of the Customs Union. But how many of those people are going to vote for Yanukovych in 2015? Let those, who wish to make the President a friend in

the eyes of the western Ukrainian electorate, not delude themselves. There will not be any repetition of the «Kuchma-1999» scenario and that’s must be understood. Because of that, it is necessary to create a «scary story» for the Lviv residents, to scare them more than Yanukovych would (as it was under election between Kuchma and Symonenko). But the authorities work towards a reverse scenario – the promotion of Tyagnybok and not of some «anti-Tyagnybok for the SouthEast». Yes, currently many deputies from the Party of Regions’ faction, having decided not to «blame themselves», just shut up, obediently vote for the «European» legislative package, and bide their time. But those, who think about their political future, perfectly understand: when a turning point comes, they would not have any support in their districts, if they ignore the opinion of the basic electorate about this key issue. Who will stay with Yanukovych in the elections of 2015, if now he deprives himself of the support of the most active part of his electors? I’d like to recall, how the same representatives of the Party of Regions – who, after the meeting of the faction with the President, rushed to actively criticize Russia and talk about the «categorical civilizational choice made by Ukrainians» – about 4-5 years ago in all broadcasts were criticizing Yushchenko’s foreign policy, constantly emphasizing: «The law determines that Ukraine should conduct the course of European integration under the compulsory condition of preserving strategic partnership and good-neighborly relations with Russia». But now Russia itself by the very mouths of its highest figures repeats over and over again: after the inuring of the Ukraine-EU Freetrade zone agreement in the form that was imposed by Brussels to Kiev, we will have to forget about strategic partnership! Is it true that those who stir Yanukovych to get across the European Rubicon think that Russia is bluffing? Is it true that Yanukovych and his closest environment don’t understand that they a-priori deny themselves not only the Russian support but the support of the majority of their electors?

Photo Ukrainian News

THE UKRAINIAN OPPOSITION’S SAD AUTUMN-2013

www.thekievtimes.ua

POLITICS

THE OLD FOX SHOULD STAY BEHIND BARS The Ukrainian society has a formed opinion about Tymoshenko comprehensive support in Germany and the lobbying of her interests by German journalists. Opposition politicians and journalists assert that the whole Germany is waiting for Tymoshenko. We support the readers’ acquaintance with the comments of average Germans to the articles about Tymoshenko, in the respective German editions. German readers consider Tymoshenko wary; the support in Germany is exaggerated by Tymoshenko’s followers by a thousand times. The information was taken from open sources and can easily be checked

Germans are indignant at the possible departure of Yulia Tymoshenko to receive treatment in Germany, as «Germany has a sufficient amount of its own criminals and doesn’t need another one». «How can it be that all the opposition representatives from all over the world who committed crimes and serve their sentences can now demand some luxurious treatment!» Germans ironically emphasize the transition from the medical insurance cards to the party-membership cards… Below is a translation of part of German readers’ comments of an article that you can read by clicking the following link::

ewspapst 19.01.2013 (Quotation of the article)…Oh, I wish our German prisoners were granted additional communication booth in every cell… But no – there are three persons in every cell. She is lucky that she can sleep on the floor with her back pains. It seems to me that we’re cheated… pawel-kortschagin 19.01.2013 It seemed to me that prisoners serve their sentences in cells, don’t they? She has a ROOM and this is perfect. I support her only in one thing – she has right for the women’s convoy. niktim 19.01.2013 [Quotations ysopanzeigen…] The lawyer earns a pretty penny to call these charges ridiculous! It is worth waiting a little. She came to her fortune using not very fair methods. And her partner is nowadays imprisoned in the USA – of course, only because he is innocent. And yes, the poor lady sleeps on the floor; there is even a communication booth near her room. Several days ago they wrote that she sleeps in the shower as she is afraid of irradiation. So it is not simple to invent a new tale everyday. strobile 19.01.2013 She must be grateful that she’s imprisoned in Ukraine and not in the USA. aalf 19.01.2013 Of course, they treated and are treating Mrs. Tymoshenko unfairly, but I would not call her an innocent democrat. I think her staff is simply making propaganda, with the media-sources’ help. Beute 19.01.2013 It has been always clear that this woman is a fruit indeed. But now there are fewer positive articles about her in the «free and democratic western press». But this press has, at least, a little too positive about this criminal simulator. befruchter 19.01.2013 No-no-no, she never behaved in a kosher way. Thom-d 19.01.2013 Those who are familiar with her past perfectly know that she is the only person who can’t be trusted about such issues… soziologe79 19.01.2013 In Tymoshenko’s case it is very difficult to come to an univocal conclusion, as many media do not inform but simply try to earn her some votes. Of course, there are proofs that Yanukovych’s government is corrupted, but… Doesthis should mean that she is innocent? But if we need to think about it, we can come to a quite different conclusion. Did she always pay taxes and set aside of any criminal actions? The oligarchy life is full of dangers. As long as they very seldom earn their money honestly, they are very vulnerable. The matter is not about the reasons why some oligarchs are in prison and others are not. However, Tymoshenko’s disease is quite obvious. How can she sleep on the floor for a long time, despite her herniated disk?.. We’re lacking of information.

http://www.tagesspiegel.de/politik/eu-und-ukraine-verhandelnueber-behandlung-in-der-charite-ist-berlin-der-letzte-auswegfuer-julia-timoschenko/8805006.html

ImmerOptimist 18.09.2013 18:15 Tymoshenko must stay in Ukraine. Germany already has a caste medicine. Does it mean that the premium-class medicine has to appear after that – for the fairly charged? Does not the Charité doctors’ behavior with their Tymoshenko’s doubtful diagnoses and treatment cause some misunderstanding among other specialists and patients with disk herniation? Doctors’ involvement in political games with a legal verdict is simply inhumane. Ukraine has enough outstanding physicians, and this patient will be cured like any other convicts, which can’t hope for the interference of foreign doctors and their special treatment. Reply by ThomasP. 18.09.2013 09:29 Oops... And now all the opposition representatives from all over the world, who committed an economic crime and serve their sentences, can demand some luxurious treatment? It seems to me that this is slightly distorted. Can one hope for a medical treatment only in accordance with his/her political and social status, now? Let’s stick from the medical insurance cards to the party-membership cards? So, she was convicted as a result of committing criminal actions under criminal law. Accusative materials and proofs were presented to the international community to remove any doubts… josse 17.09.2013 19:22 An alternative for the Ukrainian connection with the EU is an Eurasian Economic Union including Russia, Belarus and Kazakhstan, as well as Armenia, starting from the beginning of this month… Not letting Berlin and Brussels interfere in Ukraine’s legal cases against its own criminals, would also be an advantage for Ukraine. On September 3, Armenia – with the help of the visit of its President Serzh Sarkisyan to Moscow – spoke for joining the Eurasian Economic Space and thus cancelled the association agreement that has been discussed with the EU for a long time and that should be signed in Vilnius. protector1408 17.09.2013 17:49 …Germany has a sufficient amount of its own criminals and even more of those who enter the country; we don’t need another one. At a more detailed examination it seems that everything is done only with the help of the EU’s pressure. No matter what Ukraine wishes to get in the EU – this political and economic dump – it should be rejected. Let it not to be exposed to this pressure and leave the old fox behind the bars – he deserved it!

German readers note that any exposition of one-side material belittles freedom of speech: «…so: many men, many minds». Germans are interested in this topic, because their country is involved in these political games, but they correctly note in their comments to the articles: «We’re lacking of information», «Mercenary journalists of this newspaper produce more and more articles about her and her state of health», «It seems that we’re cheated», «It is not too easy to invent a new tale each day», «Her staff is making propaganda with the media-sources’ help». Below is a translation of part of German readers’ comments to an article that you can read clicking on the following link:

http://www.spiegel.de/politik/ausland/timoschenko-offizielldes-auftragsmords-verdaechtigt-a-878475.html

kalim.karemi 18.01.2013 (Quotation of the article)…This innocent democrat must certainly be released from these inhuman custody conditions – she merely wishes her fellow citizens the best and overcomes all trials with dignity. Thanks God, our chancellor’s name is not Claudia Rott. rics 19.01.2013 Frankly speaking, I’m not pretty sure that this woman is innocent. martinxmartin 19.01.2013 (Quotation of the article)…How can a person sleep on the floor if she suffers from severe back pains? I slept on the floor only once before, and after that my back started to ache, although I’m a healthy person. No implicit belief to this woman!

Selective justice?  Of course, it is obvious but I don’t understand why German mass media are so worried when not all criminals in countries are imprisoned but only those who represent the current authorities’ opposition. Of course, it is not fair that only 1 of 100 gets to prison – but it doesn’t seem to me that this must mean the releasing of that very 1. It isn’t worth supporting an idea of escaping abroad via hospital, and having received a reason to get to a hospital in Germany one can easily move to Switzerland and avoid punishment there, because evasion of taxes is not a crime there. Sergio-Fausto 01.07.2013 23:04 Tymoshenko must not use the EU for her private purposes. As to ask for help – then yes. But not to use it as a scene to her advantage.    dll 01.07.2013 23:15 Medical algorithm. To recommend surgery for Mrs. Tymoshenko’s diagnosis is only possible with the help of a traditional diagnosis with the consultation and participation of her Ukrainian doctors. Kharkov does not possess the optimal conditions for such surgeries, so they recommended her transition to Germany. RomanRo 02.07.2013 7:20 Pechgehabt «Kharkov does not possess the optimal conditions for such surgeries, so they recommended transition to Germany» – but these conditions are rendered to Ukrainian people as well. Actually, the Gas Princess had enough time as a head of government’s position to deal with the issue of medicine in Ukraine, particularly in prisons, and raise it to the mark. Since this situation had not been changed – there is a conclusion: the level of medicine in Ukraine satisfied her in the position of Prime

Leave the old fox behind bars as she may have merited it!

neanderspezi 19.01.2013 A kite with thirst for revenge and destruction is flying around the former head of Ukraine government – Yulia Tymoshenko – who is imprisoned in Kharkov prison. This kite is impatiently waiting in an ambush for a further weakening of its still struggling victim. His long-term plans are well known to many participants. Their task is to swell and maliciously comment a murder case that can suffice (under the taken legal measures) to cope with the female politician who got to the sight. Yanukovych is hard trying to build an autocracy, and of course he’s worried about his political monopoly… SiD 19.01.2013 Yulia Tymoshenko is not currently in prison but at the hospital. I have a friend surgeon in Kharkov – he said that a new department was built (or repaired) exclusively for her. soziologe79 What are you blaming the juridical system of? Mrs. Merkel in her speech demands providing Yulia Tymoshenko with her necessary medical treatment. But this is a Kharkov hospital’s obligation , and the Merkel’s speech sounds like a charge. But this should be proved. Otherwise, it is a patient’s obligation to facilitate her own treatment. And she’s acting in an opposite way. Are her charges of power abuse not true? Then, this must be proved as well. She is accused of a murder case, and evidences of guilt or innocence are needed here too. They should be thoroughly examined. Legacy 20.01.2013 Judging by everything, you are simply not familiar with the past of the current President. I would not elect a person with a criminal past, for anything in the world. And many people in Ukraine would agree with me. On this basis, it is clear that he came to power only with the help of machinations in elections and corruption…

Germans are disappointed that German doctors « have been continuously expressing their professional view to please political games». Some readers wonder «how could it be that the case of a defendant accused of a murder deserved a whole article in « Zeit». Even the German residents unaware of this, notice that «while highlighting the topic of Tymoshenko’s trial, the German press’s opinion is repeated from article to article». Below is a translation of part of German readers’ comments to an article that you can read by clicking on the following link:

http://www.zeit.de/politik/ausland/2013-07/ukrainetimoschenko-berlin-charite

Loncaros 01.07.2013 21:04 Why does she reject the possibility of being treated in Ukraine? The article completely ignores this question. simulator 01.07.2013 в 21:27 […] message deleted as irrelevant. simulator 02.07.2013 21:14 Comments are now deleted?  So let me paraphrase – nobody believes in this story anymore. c.bombarnac 01.07.2013 22:09 How hard the German doctors try to help other prisoners? For instance, in the USA?! meinereiner01 01.07.2013 22:24

Minister, so now it will satisfy her as a prisoner. YasanoKlemmt 02.07.2013 0:02 How can it be that the medical history of this defendant, who is also accused of a murder, deserved the whole article in «ZEIT»?  It seems to me that everything goes according to the Overestimate Conception applied by all governments of the eastern countries. It was the same with the government of the very eccentric Saakashvili, a friend of the current Chancellor of Germany, when he launched the war against Russia. porkeatingcrusader 02.07.2013 3:05 We discuss Eastern Europe without any hesitations!  Before the Russian defenders’ anti-Georgian sentiments are going to be spread via the Internet from Germany, please, remember how the Abkhazians managed to drive 200,000 Georgians out as a minority. Remember the events in Sukhumi, and the Islamic terrorist Shamil Bassaev as Abkhazian representative of the Russian Minister of Defence… there is only one hope that they will stop constantly providing false information. I actually survived Sukhumi by my own: in 2008 I was at the border with North Ossetia and the UN soldiers didn’t allow crossing it. Those pictures of Russian and Chechen marauders will stay in my mind forever. In both cases I’d give everything to join rebels and stop the outrage, but then the unarmed observers of the UN were forbidden to do this. Since then I regularly reject any proposals of participation in the UN military missions. And I feel only pity and hostility towards the defenders of Russian military ambitions. vyras 02.07.2013 0:08 «...must be operated in the opinion of the German doctors».  I’m disappointed that these people have been continuously expressing their professional view to please political games. As if there isn’t any possibility to offer such therapy in Ukraine. Tubus 02.07.2013 0:55 [...] message deleted as irrelevant. [...] message deleted as irrelevant. Tubus 02.07.2013 13:08 Censorship  If you don’t agree about the deletion of your comment, please, address to community@zeit.de. Truly yours, the editorial staff. popsnoman 02.07.2013 2:26 Yes, the doctors and first of all professor Einhaupl in this case are a political tool. But what would be your reaction if you were under the pressure of the German press with its stories about a poor, fragile and very sick woman, who is kept in inhuman conditions in a Ukrainian cell? Of course, in this case we’re talking about the article from the spot. But I have a long suspicion that the enemies of freedom of speech in Germany need to be looked for in AFP or Reuters.     porkeatingcrusader 02.07.2013 3:05 message deleted as irrelevant. RomanRo 02.07.2013 7:20 message deleted as irrelevant. Tubus 02.07.2013 13:08 Censorship  If you do not agree about the deletion of your comment, please, address to community@zeit.de. Truly yours, the editorial staff Tubus 02.07.2013 13:36 Differences. The main feature of freedom of speech is the presence of different opinions about the same issue. Recently, when highlighting some topics – in particular, the topic of Tymoshenko’s trial – the German press expressed a clear opinion, repeated from article to article. By the way, the same observation concerns the cases of Wolf, Putin, Assad or the Libyan conflict. simulator 02.07.2013 21:14 Have they already started to delete comments?  Well, then somebody will write that nobody believes in this story anymore.

As an ancient philosopher said, truth is one, paths are many. Based on the conducted analysis, it is obvious that the situation about Tymoshenko is not clear to German readers. Nevertheless, a clear advice is certain: «Do not be exposed to the pressure, and leave the old fox behind the bars! Because he deserved it».

EU/INTERNATIONAL RELATIONS

THE KIEV TIMES | OCTOBER 2013

FRANCOIS-XAVIER LERY: UKRAINE IS A RECEIVER OF COUNTERFEIT MEDICINES By Viktoria Vlasenko

hat is the role of your department in the struggle against the distribution of counterfeit medical remedies? Our aim is the extirpation of such unacceptable phenomenon like counterfeit medicines. We are implementing a series of programs in legal protection of the pharmaceutical production. We also developed the common European project eTAKT, devoted to a system of controlling and tracing of medicines. With the help of this system the State structures can trace locations and movements of a certain drug. Some countries of the European Council have their own system for tracing medicines… Ukraine is now working over such system as well. We support Ukraine. This system is necessary at a national level even in the case that a country is integrated into the common European system. In your country the project goes faster than in some other member countries of the EU. Ukraine is free in establishing its own standards, and the EU countries must wait for directions and approval of Brussels. Ukraine is an active participant to our projects. Your state was the first that ratified the «Medicrime» Convention, which provides criminal penalty for pharmaceutical falsification. We

medicines circulating in Europe? The data we possess concern only those pharmaceuticals that get to the legal sale networks. These figures are quite low – about 3% of the common turnover. The hugest share of counterfeit medicines is illegally sold via the Internet. And we don’t have any precise statistics here and we don’t want to operate on ungrounded figures. EDQM’s work is directed to debar the amount increase of counterfeit medicines in the legal sale networks. We realize that even a small share of underground medicines in the legal networks can hamper the official manufacturers’ reputation and undermine the patients’ trust. However, fortunately such cases are very infrequent, and we seriously investigate each of them. Are counterfeit medicines really so dangerous? Or this is mainly a matter of great sums of money? The threat of counterfeit medicines is very serious. Because it is not the same as counterfeiting shoes. Medicines get to your organism and can do a lot of harm. Some false medicines are toxic in themselves. Patients are expecting a certain effect from their medicines, and if it doesn’t come, the course of a disease could be unpredictable. I remember a sound scandal in 2007 about a batch of false

was delivered to certified sellers of medicines. Heparin is widely used in cardiac surgeries, in order to maintain the blood fluid in extracorporeal units. More than 60 deaths are still on the conscience of that counterfeit batch’s manufacturers. Which kind of medicines are counterfeited, most of all? We often collide with falsifications of medicines curing erectile dysfunctions. Many patients are ashamed of purchasing them in drug stores, and these medicines are relatively expensive, so people consider it simpler and cheaper to buy them via the Internet. Criminals take advantage of this situation. We met counterfeit medicines that are used in treatment of oncological, gastric and respiratory diseases. Usually manufacturers of counterfeit medicines select their target object taking into account the level of demand and the price. How is it possible to protect oneself from falsifications? Never buy medicines in places that don’t have any official acknowledgement for their distribution. This acknowledgement belongs only to legal drug stores and – in some cases – to the doctors who are permitted to spread advertising samples of new medicines. If a Ukrainian patient finds any Internet-drug store, announcing

Ukraine is free in establishing its own standards, and the EU countries must wait for directions and approval of Brussels conduct regular meetings with our colleagues from the State Committee for Pharmaceuticals and exchange information about the progress in the implementation of each project. Do you have any statistics of the volume of counterfeit

heparin – produced on the basis of a substance that prevents fibrillation. It was a scaled incident that affected several countries because the active agent of that medicine was found out to be false. It was purchased by several large pharmaceutical enterprises, and the final product

of having license for any trade of medicines, he must immediately realize that this web-site is a fabrication. Any medicines’ sale via the Internet is forbidden in Ukraine. The patient himself does not need any additional examinations. This issue is a competence of State controlling

units. But if you have any doubts about purchased medicines, you must immediately inform a pharmacist. Because he knows from where these medicines came to the drug stores. At what stages is it possible to reveal falsification? If manufacturers of the counterfeit medicines use a certain concentration of an active agent, it is quite difficult to reveal such falsification. If there is not such ingredient, then falsification is disclosed pretty fast in any laboratory. An experienced pharmacist has no problems to determine their identity by their package’s appearance. However, currently the manufacturers of counterfeit medicines pay great attention to the package, trying to make it and the accompanying guidelines indistinguishable from the original ones. In this case, the question is how could the counterfeiters introduce their product into the legal sale network. But this is rather a question for pharmaceutical test authorities. Where are the counterfeit medicines manufactured? Counterfeit medicines get to

the market from everywhere. Any production of fabrications that have no active agent in their composition does not require great expenses. It suffices to have a machine that would press pills and pack them to blisters. But now – as I’ve already mentioned – there are falsifications with a certain share of active agent. And one needs at least basic «knowhow» for such production. That’s why those times when medical falsifications were pressed in deserted sheds in the very heart of jungle have passed. Now these plants represent a well-organized business with a staff of relatively qualified employees. Which are the methods of struggling against this phenomenon? It must be fought at all levels. There is no hope of extirpating this trade of counterfeit medicines only within one country, because the greatest amount of them is delivered from abroad. It’s impossible to build an ideal inner control system of any medicine’s quality to make it incompatible with the neighboring countries’ systems, since it is important not only to simply arrest a seller of counterfeit medicines, but also to

trace every ring of the entire chain – from the seller to the owner of an underground pharmaceutical plant. Otherwise, tomorrow there will be three new Internet-drug stores in place of the one shut down. What is the level of the counterfeit medicines’ problem in Ukraine? Ukraine is only developing the medicines’ tracing system at this moment. I don’t have any statistics in Ukraine. I don’t want to be unfair to the Ukrainian partners who work really actively. Ukraine treats the counterfeit medicines as a serious problem that may increase if it is not paid attention to its minimization. However, speaking about the risk of getting counterfeit medicines to the legal sale network, then, I think, it is not higher in Ukraine than in the majority of the other European countries. And in illegal sale, this turnover does not achieve greater scales than in Europe in general. In case of Ukraine, a quite serious factor is that it borders upon the EU countries, that make it a convenient destination point for the counterfeit medicines’ distribution.

www.thekievtimes.ua

INTERNATIONAL RELATIONS/UKRAINE-EU

KRISTIINA OJULAND: UKRAINE WILL JOIN THE EU IF PEOPLE WISH TO By Viktoria Vlasenko

At the end of September the European Parliament adopted a sharp critical resolution about Kremlin’s pressure on those countries of the Eastern Partnership, which closely approached the initialing process of signature of the Agreement of Association with the EU. The deputy from Estonia – from the political group «Alliance of Liberals and Democrats for Europe» – Kristiina Ojuland is among the authors of this resolution. She told The Kiev Times how the Agreement of Association can protect Ukraine from Russian economic blackmail

Mrs. Ojuland, does the European Union possess any real mechanisms to protect the Eastern Partnership countries , in particular Ukraine, from the pressure of Russia? This question rather concerns the entire bilateral cooperation between Ukraine and the EU. Now Ukraine is making a hard choice, because its market

territory. Any business that was connected with the transit infrastructure was suffering. But in reply we quickly reoriented our market to the West and found new partners there. According to the experts, the commodity turnover between Ukraine and Russia that currently makes 61 billion

this will be extremely useful for Ukraine. I’m happy that recently the Ukrainian Parliament demonstrated its consensus concerning your country’s future. European integration is not only a course of Ukrainian opposition or a choice of the government. All branches of Ukrainian authorities let clearly understand that this is a common state priority. The

Armenia had to change its position in relation to the EU, owing to Russia’s pressure. This became an unexpected and unpleasant surprise for the EU strongly depends on Russia. However, if you look 20 years backwards, you’ll see that Baltic countries were experiencing the same problems. And our political choice was not too easy as well. But we made it. And it immediately collided with the problem of double customstariffs from the Russian side. They were introduced in 1994 and were applied to the Estonian products exported to the Russian territory for ten years, until we entered the EU. Besides, Russia has considerably reduced the volumes of its energy resources transit through the Estonian

dollars may reduce twice after the signing of the Association Agreement. Is the EU ready to open its borders for the Ukrainian products and thus to cushion a blow to the Ukrainian economy? These borders will be opened for you by the Association Agreement after its coming into force. The Agreement will offer new trade rules – as today the market of Ukraine is not so open to the EU countries – and new ways for your products to the European markets. Although this requires much time and experience, in the long term

EUROGAY By Matvey Levin

Photo UNIAN

The Euro-integration vector chosen by our country’s authorities seems to possess real features, and it passes from the ordinary impracticable projects, that are so inherent to the Ukrainian politics, to the sphere of real actions

Ukrainian authorities’ statements were heard and approved in Europe at the highest level. European Commissioner Füle, particularly, showed a very positive reaction to the last news from Kiev and in every possible way encourages Ukraine to move further. How would you assess the chances of Ukraine to sign the Association Agreement in Vilnius? Now they are very high. Catherine Ashton has repeatedly said that Ukraine is a priority partner for the EU, and Brussels

lose cooperation with Europe does not mean deprivation of political independence, like the followers of the Eurasian development strategy say, however it really provides a series of changes that will have to be overcome not only by economy but also by juridical system and even by the sphere of ethics and morality. One of the issues that are most painful for the public opinion to find out is the subject of homosexual community liberalization, that is a logical and expected demand from the side of Europe, where the homosexuals’ rights are first of all people’s rights. The scandal bill 8711 «About the prohibition of homosexual propaganda» has been postponed. Many organizations and persons became a target group of this bill: from ordinary hipsters to bookshops, theatres, music performances and museums. The odious authors of this bill have been defending their offspring for a long time – at least since when Viktor Yanukovych declared the national European integration. Besides the fact that gaydefenders are obstinately silent, another antipode of the bill 8711 appeared: it is called «Antidiscrimination bill», and presupposes the prevention of discrimination because of sexual orientation within the labor activity. Watching the little Cossacks with whips trying to disperse a modest column of homosexuals with transparencies, we can be confident that liberalization has been started from the wrong end. Even the basic rights of the LGBT representatives are still not protected in our country; and not only the rights: our juridical system still doesn’t contain any adequate definitions

is impatiently waiting for the Vilnius summit of the Eastern Partnership in November. As far as I know, the EU is negotiating about similar Agreements of Association with Moldova and Armenia that are also going to be initialed in Vilnius. Is this information still relevant? As you know, Armenia had to change its position in relation to the EU, owing to Russia’s pressure. This became an unexpected and unpleasant surprise for the EU. By the way, this decision of Armenia pushed the European Parliament to the decision of debating and adopting corresponding resolution about Kremlin’s pressure on their neighboring countries. But such behavior of Moscow is absolutely unacceptable from the point of view of the European Union. Each country has a right to

independently take decisions concerning its own future. So, is the Agreement of Association with Armenia going to be initialed? For the moment the situation looks like that: the Agreement of Association of the EU with Armenia will not be initialed. What do you think – how the Estonian experience of opposition to the economic pressure of Russia could be useful for Ukraine? I remember those times… I’d like to advise Ukraine to be very patient and move towards its goal. Of course, on the first stages, Ukraine will experience an income reduction in certain trade areas. However, I think that the Baltic countries’ experience – and all the three countries can confirm this – demonstrates that in the long term the reorientation

of our industry to the West was very useful. Ukraine has a huge potential. And don’t undervalue your State’s wealth and possibilities. Ukraine can completely achieve a position that would at least be equal to the position of your neighbor – Poland, which has impressively grown and developed in these recent years. I personally like to compare Ukraine with France, and not only because of its dimensions and natural resources, but also because of its human potential. And if your government is now serious about some implementation of reforms, I think that this will motivate people to support any activity directed to their Country’s approximation to Europe. That is not to be excluded, once Ukraine becomes a member of the European Union. Everything is possible if people wish to.

The traditional morality, which was carried by deputies and ministers as a banner for a long time, is becoming too heavy and irrelevant of sexual minority. However, the LGBT environment considers that – although it is not enough – it is also impossible not to rejoice because our legislation will at least contain the registered phenomenology of «discrimination on the ground of sexual orientation». Taisia Gerasimova, board member of the public organization «Insight», says that even if the law were passed, this will not be enough. «This law regulates only the work activity, and this is not enough. On the other hand, this is important, this is the first step, and after that such categories like discrimination on the grounds of sexual orientation are established in our legislation, it will be simpler to lobby other liberalizing laws». The famous Ukrainian homophobe Olexiy Selivanov – the main ataman of the International public organization «The True Cossacks» – disagrees with Gerasimova. Selivanov is sure that the Antidiscrimination bill won’t be adopted at all. «There were round-tables concerning this issue in the Verkhovna Rada, and I know exactly that the deputies are not going to vote for it». Nevertheless, the Party of Regions and the joined coalition repeatedly demonstrated their obedience to the faction’s management, and after the expulsion of the obstinate Makarov, the amount of those who wish to rebel will become considerably thinner. The regionals’ rhetoric is changing in front of our eyes, and the yesterday’s guards of the

traditional morality are willingly arguing about the European values and private life immunity. The current authorities’ practicality and their orientation to the real sector of economy have become proverbial among both the Ukrainians and the foreign partners of the Ukrainian

officials. And this means that the traditional morality, which was carried by deputies and ministers as a banner for a long time, is becoming too heavy and irrelevant; and this is the decorative element that can actually be sacrificed by the deputies, above all.

Children’s quad bikes from USA Great deal of motoequipment and accessories Store «Motoshop.UA» Kiev, Moskovsky avenue, 34-В, EC «Blockbaster» Tel.: (044) 221-21-21 www.motoshop.ua

DIGEST

THE KIEV TIMES | OCTOBER 2013

UKRAINIAN AUTUMN IN WESTERN MEDIA By Alisa Belets

reload its economy and overcome the second recession in the last five years. Also the article gave the prognosis about a further decline of reserves, owing to the foreign trade and budget deficit. This month Reuters wrote that the international rating agency Moody’s Investors Service reduced the Ukraine credit rating, emphasizing concern

in 2020. This piece of news was published by some world leading information resources and economic observers, including the PR Newswire, The Wall Street Journal, the Natural Gas Europe, and The Telegraph India. Discussions about Ukraine’s economy of and hypotheses about some contradictions within the ruling top are

The association with Europe was often represented in western media as a positive and progressive choice, and the orientation to Russia, on the contrary, as an imposed and outdated one said that if Ukraine signed the agreement, Russia would not be able to guarantee the status of Ukraine as a country and interfere whenever any pro-Russian regions should directly address to Moscow.

about currency reserves in Ukraine, suddenly appeared new debts and potential deterioration of its relations with Russia. Against this background, a piece of news about the signature of an agreement between the

receding to the background when western media highlight the Ukrainian choice. No EU for Ukraine without Tymoshenko’s release – this condition was termed at the Yalta summit as a critical one.

Just a reminder: an economic catastrophe and a forthcoming default in Ukraine are the prognoses that Glazyev officially made and that got to the pages of other western information resources. A more deliberate view concerning Ukraine’s poor economy situation was given by Financial Times and Reuters. Thus, last month the FT wrote that Ukraine was planning to take a credit from the IMF for a sum of $15 billion in order to

English-Netherlands company Royal Dutch Shell and the Ukrainian company Nadra about the geopolitical production of natural gas on Yuzovka site (Kharkiv and Donetsk regions) turned out to be positive, because Ukraine is planning to reduce its gas dependence from Russia at the expenses of its own resources’ development. Ukrainian authorities hope that Yuzovka and Olesko sites will be able to provide up to 10% of gas for domestic consumption

The Reuters, The Associated Press, the NPR, the Euronews, the Telegraph, The Washington Post, The Moscow Times, the United Press International and many others wrote about this. Regardless of the opinions stating that Ukraine would be associated to the EU independently of Tymoshenko’s case , the western media note that Yanukovych answered neither «yes» nor «no» to the key requirement of the European Union, so far.

Photo UNIAN

On the eve of the summit in Vilnius the western media demonstrate a considerably increased interest about the subject of Ukraine’s geopolitical orientation. Although the matter isn't about Ukraine's absolute membership in the EU, the country polarization by its choice in favor of Europe or Russia is taken as a fortune. The subjects of economic instability, reorientation of the local oligarchy, pressure on Yanukovych from the side of Europe and Russia flooded the western information space in the recent months

«obscure warnings» (The Associated Press) sent by Russia to Ukraine in the case of the conclusion an any agreement about a free trade zone with the EU. The climax of Russian threats was the commentary unofficially given by Sergey Glazyev to The Guardian correspondent during the 10th Yalta summit. According to the British edition, Glazyev

he Economist touched on the issue about the impact of Ukrainian businessmen on Ukraine’s course at the end of August. According to The Economist, the «Chocolate war» was launched in order to put pressure on Yanukovych, and to change the declared proEuropean course of Ukraine, using oppression by Ukrainian magnates, whose business is connected with the Russian market. The Economist also expressed the view that any decision of the Ukraine’s President will be losing. Agreement with the EU is the cherished development in the country and will cause people’s approval, but further economic

crisis and conflicts with the local oligarchy will break his plans for his re-election in 2015. A month after such dull prognoses by The Economist, the European edition Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty published an optimistic article titled «Ukrainian oligarchy gave green light to the European direction». The report says that the Ukraine economic elites in their overwhelming majority supported the course to the EU, but the pressure coming from the Russian side in the form of embargo and other economic sanctions, strangely enough, forced the oligarchs of reconsider their business interests in Russia. The article says that – regardless

of the growing Ukrainian export to Europe – such key industries like steel, chemicals and agricultural products are still mainly sold to the former Soviet Union’s countries, including some Customs Union’s countries. It is also said that owners and managers of «many aged-noncompetitive-plants» as well as CPU members and PR deputies are oriented to Moscow. The association with Europe was often represented in western media as a positive and progressive choice, and the orientation to Russia, on the contrary, as an imposed and outdated one. Such polarization was strengthened by constant messages of blackmail and

The climax of Russian threats was the commentary unofficially given by Sergey Glazyev to The Guardian correspondent during the 10th Yalta summit

STEP TO EUROPE By Veronika Bazhan

On October 21, 2013 there will be an official visit of the leaders of the European Economic Senate (EES) to Ukraine. October 22 is the signature date of the cooperation treaty between the Confederation of Builders of Ukraine and the EES

s a result, Ukraine will receive another, subsequent effective tool for its European integration, asserting itself as an equal player in economy and politics. So, what is the European Economic Senate, and how are politics and business interdependent? Why the cooperation treaty between the Senate and the Confederation is such an important event? The Confederation of Builders of Ukraine (CBU) represents almost the entire professional sector of the building industry, and regularly makes efforts to improve the existing legislation in Ukraine. The CBU affects many government’s initiatives. In its turn, the European Economic Senate can present Ukraine with the unprecedented opportunity of becoming a respectable member of the elite, whose members are perfectly skillful in conducting the most

successful business projects. The EES can redefine the industry to an absolutely new level, and attracting investors is very important, not only for the construction business, but also for the country as a whole. The European Economic Senate is an independent organization established in 1997, which represents the extensive economic interests of different businesses in Europe, by mutual consent. In the EES there are about three hundred owners and top managers of the most successful enterprises, as well as representatives of economy, science and politics circle of activities, such as Deutsche Bank, Audi, Philip Morris, Thomas Cook and others. Senators actively participate in political and economic processes, and are ready to provide knowledge and experience to

any interested organizations, in order to achieve all-round wellbeing. In addition, the EES makes a significant contribution to the development of business and social activities. Senators have meetings and consultations with the representatives of the European political elite, thereby making direct contributions to the decision-making process, on which the European future depends. «It is a very serious and correct step for Ukraine. The signature of the cooperation treaty will help us not only to integrate into the European market, but also to become more accessible and open to the European partners», – the Chairman of the Board of Directors of the Confederation of Builders of Ukraine – Alexander Rotov – said. The participants of the meeting were:

- Rolf Baron von Hohenhau, the President of the Taxpayers Association of Europe (TAE) - Michael Jaeger, The Secretary General of the Taxpayers Association of Europe (TAE) and Managing Director of the European Economic Senate (EES) - Dr. Ingo Friedrich, the President

of the European Economic Senate (EES) - Thorsten Grobe, the International Tax Lawyer - Lev Partshaladze, the President of CBU - Alexander Rotov, the Chairman of the Board of Directors of the CBU.

As a conclusion, the signature of the treaty will provide a major step in promoting of co-operation with the EU. Ukrainian business will become «visible» to Europe, will raise our international rank and arrange an opportunity to use all the tools that the European market offers.

www.thekievtimes.ua

POLITICS/INTERNATIONAL

PUTIN TOUCHED AMERICA’S DELICATE NERVE By Vladimir Kornilov

Photo Ukrainian News

Frankly speaking, in recent decades it is hard to recall any article of a world’s leader that would feature as prominently as a column of Vladimir Putin in the «New York times». This note was not simply quoted and commented, it was entirely re-printed, it was analyzed almost paragraph by paragraph. Some western newspapers for the readers’ convenience even underlined separate phrases with colored markers

Of course, there are various opinions about the column and Putin himself. His many enthusiastic critics have only intensified their criticism after that, however even they had to admit that the President of Russia became the «person of the week» or the «person of the month» in connection with events in

Syria and in connection with this article. As one of «The Times» analysts wrote, «Putin returned the role of international leader to Russia for the first time in its 30-years decline». And vice-versa, many of these analysts started talking about a beginning of the western positions’ weakening – «The

Economist» journal that is roughly and protractedly criticizing Putin even put the sentence «weakening West» on its cover. The American political scientist Ian Bremmer stated that the Russian President «undoubtedly had the most pleasant several weeks», and added: «Acknowledgement of Putin’s and Russia’s victory is the general opinion». It is worth noticing: «The Economist» expresses an alarm but not gladness concerning the weakening of the West and the evident strengthening of Russia; and Bremmer considers Putin’s victories as «Pyrrhic». Many editorial columns of western newspaper, recognizing Putin as the «person of the week», immediately rush to discuss the subject: how can we restrain the growing influence of Moscow? No illusions here: the geostrategic opponents of Russia will criticize it more, if their positions are getting stronger, and vice-versa, they will welcome any developments leading to the weakening of the

Russian Federation. This is the essence of geostrategy: «Govern your opponent and don’t let him govern you». But the main thing I’ve paid special attention to, when analyzing the western press: European mass-media, criticizing Putin and Russia, nevertheless were obviously satisfied about the end of the

who aren’t allowed to speak aloud about this. As Putin stated on the Valday forum, at the last moment he personally finished writing the paragraph devoted to the «exceptional» phrase of Obama. Russian political scientist Evgeniy Minchenko has justly remarked on his Facebook page: «If this is true, he really is a great politician.

Putin’s column proves that he touched a delicate nerve of the United States». The Frenchman (who in due time wrote a book about American ideology) revealed a terrible truth to the USA readers: the theory of «American exclusiveness» is very «preferential» and is not shared by many people in the world and in Europe. And after such «preferential» justice in relation to Guantanamo prisoners and tortures in Afghan jails, one can easily apply the word «myth» to this theory. Yes, Putin hit the American’s most sensitive point, that’s for sure. And one can be sure that the Americans will remember such offence for long. This obvious strengthening of Russia on the international scene, of course, won’t be left with any reaction from the side of the «weakening West». We can make an assumption: in the nearest

In the nearest future Putin and Moscow will face the wave of an anti-Russian propaganda, that hadn’t been seen since the USSR collapse Russian President’s column – that part of it where Putin hit the Americans’ most sensitive point, having tapped Obama’s nose for the theory of American nation’s «exclusiveness». Exactly this moment provoked the largest rage among American commentators, and exactly this moment obviously looked good to many European politicians and journalists, who got tired of American exceptionalism, but

It’s so cool to accurately hit rhetoric and value matrix of another nation». The New York correspondent of the French newspaper «L’Express», Philippe Coste, wrote in his column for CNN: «Vladimir Putin is possibly the best defender of free press, but as a former KGB member, who traveled a lot around the globe, he knows how the foreign world is arranged… The reaction to

future Putin and Moscow will face the wave of an anti-Russian propaganda, that hadn’t been seen since the USSR collapse. The question is whether Putin and the Kremlin, the foreign establishment of Lavrov that acted a beautiful combination with Syria, are ready for this wave and the burden of the revived international leadership. We’ll receive an answer in the near future.

THE INK. A NOSE TO THE WIND! By Oleg Zinovyev

Crisis management in restaurant business depends on external no less than on internal factors

single management system consists of reports, diagrams, codes and tables that provide an owner, an investor or a manager with information, necessary for decision-making and effective management. Management accounts in the restaurant business are part of a single management system. INK Restaurant (business center Leonardo) led by director Dmytro Chornyak is a recognized leader of management accounts owing to the expert level of accounting, banker’s discount, legal consulting and long-term experience of management of HoReCa complexes all around Ukraine. Dmytro Chornyak: «Correctly established management accounts are a guaranty of business effectiveness. Its whales are reports about movement of funds, income and expenses as well as the management balance. Almost every enterprise in the restaurant sphere – in one form or another – composes a report about income and expenses; less often – a report about movement of funds. The management balance is very infrequent.  The management balance is reliable information about assets, income and expenses of an enterprise. Comprehension of a restaurant’s situation determines effective principles of distribution of investments and income as well as a competent planning. Who counts bad, earn little! While compiling a management balance, good financiers follow the main principles but various enterprises’ balances are subjective.   Management balance has to reflect the actual condition of business. First of all, it includes information about the project itself, references about residues of goods, status of accounts with

The author of the design is the famous capital designer Sergiy Makhno who took care of every detail that allowed INK Restaurant to take the 1st place at the 4th All-Ukrainian Architectural Competition «Interior of the year 2012».

customers, references about income and losses from activity. Qualitative analytics of this part of the balance guarantees a painless discharge of the offseason, which is regularly faced by any restaurant.  At least once a calendar year we conduct internal audits of our enterprise, consisting of economic audit, suppliers’ and customers’ audit, as well as energy audit. As for analysis of a balance dynamics, we do it thoroughly as well». Building tables where absolute figures are supplemented by relative ones are actually the horizontal and vertical analyses. Modern management accounts allow keeping the «nose to the wind», saving, optimizing,

cleverly distributing expenses and as a result – earning more money. INK Restaurant is the highest quality facility. Everything – from cuisine to interior, from staff to clients – is a confirmation of a special status. INK Restaurant is a brave and unexpected step in the restaurant business development. INK Restaurant’s interior is made in the European style of minimalism – concrete, glass, and wood flaked with bright décor and modern illumination. Chandeliers are replaced by steel jars and conventionalized basins, and bottles with ink stand of the shelves.

INK Restaurant’s cuisine is also specific.

Ukrainian fashion cuisine is a new fashionable Ukrainian cuisine, which is famous for authors’ recipes and has already impressed the national elite and the state first persons. A nice surprise for the restaurant’s guests will become the freshest fish; one can personally chose Bretagne lobsters and Kamchatka crabs from the aquarium. The meat menu is represented by dishes cooked of Angus, Kobe marbled meat and lamb from the upland estate of Limousin. The philosophy of the INK Restaurant’s bar carte is a true synergy of taste and style. The wine carte is geographically divided – from Australia and New

Ukrainian fashion cuisine is a new fashionable Ukrainian cuisine, which is famous for authors’ recipes and has already impressed the national elite and the state first persons.

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UKRAINE/NATIONAL POLITICS

THE KIEV TIMES | OCTOBER 2013

CRIMEAN EXTREMISM By Vladislav Gulevich

«Hizbut Tahrir al Islami» («Party of Islamic Liberation») is the Islamic political organization whose activity is prohibited in a series of states, such as Russia, Germany and Uzbekistan. Law enforcement authorities of these countries consider it a terroristic one. In Ukraine, in Crimea, «Hizbut Tahrir» acts in an absolutely legal way

he Crimean «Hizbs» are fighting for gaining of influence on the Crimean-Tatar community against the CrimeanTatar Majlis. The Mejlis, as it is known, turned into the parallel governing institution long ago, and this institution settles many questions around Kiev, including those from foreign policy partners: the USA, EU and Turkey.

Simferopol. The situation has not been changed even by the scandalous and brutal murder of the 5-year-old Vitya Shemyakin in 2010. Then, a Crimean Tatar, a follower of «Hizbut Tahrir»’s ideology, went to a sandbox where a group of Russian children were playing, and shouting «Allah Akbar!» cut the kid’s throat. This act was credited to the murderer’s

expressed their support to the Syrian opposition, which includes extremist organizations like «Jabhat al-Nusra», «Al-Qaeda» etc. The Crimean «Hizbs» repeat American propagandistic molds about the blood regime of Bashar Assad and believe that he applied chemical weapon against the rebels and call to support Syrian Muslims «brothers». The

Sunnite radicals in the CIS republics are an effective way to destabilize the situation on the Eurasian continent madness, and the «Hizbs» continued to legally act on Ukrainian territory to the present day. The «Hizbs» have been talked over again in connection with the flared war in Syria. Massmedia published information about the death of a Crimean Tatar – one of the followers of «Hizbut Tahrir» – in Syria. The organization’s representatives reject this information and claim that they don’t recruit volunteers to dispatch them to the war. Anyway, the «Hizbs» repeatedly

«Brothers» mean those who fight against Bashar Assad. Islam is divided into two main trends – Shiism and Sunnism (similar to Christianity where there are Catholic and Orthodox traditions). In Syria the Alawaits are in power. Alawism is very close to Shiism, and it is quite logic that Assad took the course of approaching with Iran – the most ambitious Shiite state that dared to challenge the USA hegemony. Iranian madrasahs teach those Shiites of Iraq,

Yemen, Bahrain and other Arab states who are oppressed in their homelands. The territory of Iran includes Shiites’ sacred places – the cities of Mashhad and Kum. The mausoleum of imam Reza is located in Mashhad; Kum has many Shiite educational institutions. Crimean Tatars are Sunnites. And today, as it is known, it is the Sunnite Islam that is subjected to the largest radicalization. And this is not a coincidence. There are good reasons to believe that a hand-

ABOUT THE RUSSIAN CARPATHIANS By Vladislav Gulevich

It’s hard to believe, but just a couple of centuries ago the population of the western Ukrainian regions considered themselves to be Russian. And when the term «Ukrainian» became a part of their everyday life, it was meant not a separate nationality but only a regional identity, like the modern term «Siberian», for example. Russian identity of the modern Galicians and Volhynians is confirmed both by toponymy and historical facts

…Children’s golden curls, uncombed flax of their little heads are in the neighborhood. Voices’ chatoyant ring murmurs by Russian speech as a spring stream. It’s so good to know after my long wandering that I’m

wheel of extremism in the Sunnite environment has been triggered by the West and first of all by Washington. Sunnites make an overwhelming majority in the Islamic world. The amount of Shiites unlikely exceeds 10% of the total Muslims. Looking to the map of Sunnites and Shiites settlements, one can see that all Islamic Africa (from Mauritania to Somali and Tanzania), former Soviet Middle Asia, Russian Caucasus, Albania and Kosovo, and almost the entire Arabian

Peninsula and the Middle East belong to the Sunnites’ area. Sunnite extremism allows the West to solve geopolitical tasks that are striking by their volume. Sunnite radicals in the CIS republics are an effective way to destabilize the situation on the Eurasian continent as well as to create artificial barriers against the integration of the Eurasian space. This is an effective way to destabilize the situation in the Crimea, which is a strategically important area of the Black Sea.

historical and cultural-political thought, whose main postulate supposed the recognition of Russians (the Great Russians), Ukrainians (the Little Russians) and Belarusians as a single common Russian nation. That Carpatho-Russian thought was born not in some intellectual’s mind, but in people’s hearts, when people of Galicia and Volhynia, Lemkovschyna and Trans-Carpathia still remembered their common Russian roots and considered themselves Russians who lived near Carpathians (the Carpathian Russians). Why in 1591 the Kiev Orthodox Brotherhood issued a Grammar of Hellenic Slavonic language for the Russian nation but not for the Ukrainian one? Why the Turks called famous ataman Syrko «Urus-shaitan» but not «Ukrain-shaitan»? Why John the Russian, native of Little Russia – who was captured by the Turks, made (legends say) miracles

with the purpose to protect the southern borders of Galicia from the Hungarian rebels’ attacks was called the «battalion of the Russian mountain shots»? Why the educational association «Russian school» established in 1887 in Chernovtsy and the cultural-public organization «Russian conversation» were renamed into «Ukrainian school» and «Ukrainian conversation» only many years after their existence? An old Galician folk song sings about Rus, not about Ukraine: «Do you think, Mr. Pole, that there is no Rus here; that all we have is yours; that this is Polish country!? Rus is as it was before: all lands to the Danube are ours, while the Russian cross is shining! Remember, Mr. Pole, remember all the time: yours are only Krakow and Warsaw, and the Red Rus is ours!» Hungarians called Trans-Carpathian residents «oros», Romanians called

From the beginning of the XX century, the American continent received a considerable Carpathian-Russian diaspora of native population from Galicia, Volhynia, Trans-Carpathia walking on the Russian land. I’m happy to recognize Russian faces in every hut and every village». This poem was published in the USA in the 60s by the Carpathian-Russian emigrant journal «Free word of Carpathian Rus». From the beginning of the XX century, the American continent received a considerable Carpathian-Russian diaspora of native population from Galicia,

during his captivity, and was buried in Greece – was called John the Russian, not John the Ukrainian? Why the Galicians who settled in Serbia in XVIII century (then both regions were parts of the Austro-Hungary) called their village in foreign country «Russian Kerestur»? This village still exists. Everything native becomes three times dearer in foreign land and it

Bukovyna residents, «rus». The Poles united Galicia and Volhynia into the Russian (not Ukrainian) province. The Ukrainian and Belarusian lands composed into the Great Lithuanian Principality were called Lithuanian Rus, not Ukraine or Belorussia… Today everything that is Russian or Ukrainian are considered different. But in the elder days to be a Ukrainian

Hungarians called Trans-Carpathian residents «oros», Romanians called Bukovyna residents, «rus». The Poles united Galicia and Volhynia into the Russian province Volhynia, Trans-Carpathia etc. They developed their publishing activity on the new continent thus maintaining a common Russian spirit in their fellow citizens. Carpatho-Russism is the traditional title of a common

would be strange if the Galicians called their village by the name of a foreign nation. But they called it by the name of those whom they felt themselves – the Russians. Why the fighting group selected by the Austrians from the local Galician population

meant to be a resident of one of the suburbs of the Russian state – the common one, both for the modern Ukrainians and the modern Russians, because this is our common history and common historical heritage. No matter if we want it or not.

Photo UNIAN

Ukrainian authority doesn’t rush to prohibit the «Hizbut Tahrir»’s activity, considering it as a counterbalance to the Majlis’ influence. The main objects of the organization are Crimean Tatars. However, the Crimean «Hizbs» don’t hide from the police, gladly speak in live broadcasts, give interviews. They even have their own information resources! Ukrainian authorities are quite loyal to the «Hizbut Tahrir», and mention about this organization’s activity neither in Kiev nor in

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UKRAINE/SOCIETY

THE PROTEST AS IT IS By Maryana Priven

Unbelievable, but 17% of all Ukraine’s political public events took place in the Autonomous Republic of Crimea; the second place is taken by the Rivne region. And only 3% took place in Kiev where authorities, embassies, many private companies’ and political parties’ offices are located. Have we missed some intense political struggle in the Crimea and Rivne region, or the statistics of the Ministry of Internal Affairs of Ukraine are doubtful? We talked about all this, as well as about Ukrainians’ civic standpoint, the dynamics of the protests in the country and the widespread tactics of authorities’ response to them, with Volodymyr Ishchenko – director of the social protests’ research department of the Center of Society Studies (CSS)

There is a popular and slightly romantic idea of protest: «come out to the streets!» To what extend such spontaneous protests are really spread? Spontaneous protests exist, and there are many of them. A discontented community that is not formally organized comes out to the streets pretty often. For instance, in the CSS we determine the rate of the protest events where there was not information about any party, public organization (NGO), trade

political parties is usually focused on political struggle – «pro» or «against» some certain political force or individual politician, as well as on ideological topics about language, church, and history; today it is also focused on the attitude towards the EU and Russia, while apolitical informal initiatives raise truly sharp social and economic issues. This indicates that political parties are torn from citizens’ local self-organizations in Ukraine and social and economic

don’t solve the problem systematically, leaving some preconditions for its return. To make partial concessions and then all the same to pass a necessary bill and simultaneously to negotiate with the protesters’ moderate wing and apply repressions against the radical wing – that is one of the authorities’ most frequent tactics. What is the authorities’ most widespread repression practice against the protesters?

The stereotype that «all protests in Ukraine are paid and are cynical technologies» does not correspond to the reality unions, even about any informal though ideological, politically loaded groups. So, the matter is about exceptionally informal apolitical initiatives of protest. And year after year they reached about 30% of the total amount. The stereotype that «all protests in Ukraine are paid and are cynical technologies» does not correspond to the reality. How active are the citizens of Ukraine in their interests’ protection? It is considered that Ukraine’s civil society is extremely weak. Survey data by the Institute of Sociology indicate that more than 80% of Ukraine’s citizens are not members of any NGO, except traditional trade unions where they are automatically «entered». The great number of self-organized apolitical protests demonstrates that this civil society is not weak – it is merely split, in the sense of level of development of voluntary associations, ties between them and people’s participation. The formal part of this civil society and its informal part are separated, according to the problems they raise. They exist as two worlds that almost don’t intersect. Any protest activity of the

protests are dotted, scanty, non-politically loaded, which rarely bring criticism to the national and systemic level. And recently the parties try harder to participate in social and economic local protests in Ukraine, but as a rule with the purpose of a personal PR. Can the protest affect changes in legislation? Yes, of course. For example, the student protests against introduction of paid services in the universities, where students had to pay for the missed deadline of a term passing. When on October 12, 2010, about 20 000 students came out to the streets in not less than 15 cities of Ukraine, the Cabinet of Ministers made some concessions, though partial ones. What constitutes a protest’s success? This is a hard question. The problem is that each protest usually makes a series of demands. On fulfilling some demands, others can not be brought to terms. Some protesters’ demands can be satisfied only temporarily because often the protests are directed to salvation of a certain situation, but simultaneously

The spectrum of repressions is quite scaled: from arrests and detentions, to pressure by means of calling for questioning. A campaign against the adoption of a bill regulating the organization of peaceful assemblies has been conducted for several years. Authorities use various excuses to introduce more regulation and control of peaceful assemblies. They also are discussing a project that presupposes the participants’ legal requirement of a peaceful assembly in order to inform about it at least 48 hours before the start. But any peaceful assembly can be forbidden by the court in this period. Last year 100 protests caused 18 reactions of repression, not only by the authorities but also by other opponents to the protest as well. At the end of last year, for instance, they adopted the law «About safeguarding activity» that considerably widens the spectrum of opportunities for private security guards to use violence. We’re planning to check whether the number of repressions from their side is going to increase… In 2012 there was a splash of conservative protest. Which was the reason? There is such notion like

«cultural war». A huge discussion around topics such as national or sexual identity is engaged, and this obscures more important issues. In the West this is, for example, the issue of unisexual marriages. In our country it is language, history, church and geopolitics. People can talk in growing terms about Bandera and they can hate each other,

surveys about protest moods that often appear in the mass-media. Questions like «are you ready to go out for protest» receives 30% of positive replies by Ukrainian citizens. This is a huge number, but we will never see these people on the streets! I.e. such surveys are meaningless, and used to create myths. We have at least two more state statistics:

protest activity in the country, although this is categorically wrong. I can’t help asking – how do you assess the activity of the famous group Femen? First of all, this is a perfect sample of how to rise in the media-world and become a star. Femen managed to do this.

Political parties are torn from citizens’ local self-organizations in Ukraine and social and economic protests are dotted, scanty, non-politically loaded simultaneously forgetting about common social and economic problems. In 2012 the increase of such actions was a likely strategy of conservative electorate’s mobilization. Politicians use conservative moods in Ukraine emphasizing these subjects and thus intensify them. In one of the articles, you criticize the method of the statistics about protest activity in Ukraine, collected by the Ministry of Internal Affairs… Where this information about protest activity comes from? Let’s consider the public opinion

one made by the Ministry of Internal Affairs and other – by the State Statistics Service. The MIA fixes the number of «public events», including football matches, concerts, religious processions and protests. And it is not clear how this «publicity» is determined. We sent official inquiries to the MIA in order to understand the methodology of their statistics, since it is not published anywhere, but we didn’t receive any satisfactory reply. Another mistake done by the media, is to constantly present the MIA data about public events as a picture of the

We cannot say that all their actions did not have any sense. They often talked about really important problems but they did it unsystematically. Their discordance in subjects, under the unity of tactics has not brought any tangible result, such as, for instance, in the issues of women’s rights and gender equality. It is doubtful that they moved the public moods to a progressive direction and they did not achieve any practical concessions for sure. On the contrary, we’re watching a consolidation of conservatism in Ukraine.

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POLITICS/INTERNATIONAL RELATIONS

THE KIEV TIMES | OCTOBER 2013

SYRIA. OPINION OF THE ONE WHO DOESN’T CARE By Alexander Dudchak

he general comprehension of the artificiality of the motive does not affect anything yet. Is it worth for the United States of Aggressors (USA) to seek for support of the «international community» in such issue? The lustful politicians of Washington offered to discuss the «Syrian issue» at the UN… after striking a blow to the army of Bashar Assad. And, naturally, only after that the traditional list of requirements

to the current management of a destroyed state will be implemented.

Universal document

Obviously, the US management has a prepared and copied universal document with a list of the requirements that are recently more often presented to any leaders of those states that are undesirable to the USA. Now such list of requirements

might be presented to Assad simultaneously with the beginning of the shooting of his missile-defense systems, military and administrative objects. Based on the two last decades’ events, one can assume that the text of this document looks approximately like this: «Immediate resignation … (put down name, position and country) and transition of power to a temporary government

including not less than a half of the opposition representatives. Also, dissolution of the National Guard, army and police (cross out what is unnecessary, but better leave) … (put down a country) and proceedings of any officials involved in the «events…» (put down date and location). Reformation of informational and counter-intelligence agencies and their transition under the temporary government’s control.

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Admission of international inspectors to the military and civil objects … (put down a country) – up to the inspectors’ choice». Opponents of the aggression watched the actions of Russia and China like football fans watch the training of their team, which forgot about victories long ago, for their match with grand: it seems that the ball is round, and there are always chances, and one likes to believe in victory – as miracles happen in this world… But, as to appreciate real energy, you understand – this will be another defeat with a lopsided score.

even having in their inventory Russian S-300, Russian antisurface rockets «Yakhont», and much more – would hardly offer any long resistance to the USA armies’ highly technological formations and to their «actions»’ alone.

Obama’s politics

Lopsided score

Yugoslavia, Iraq, Libya… Unexpectedly the debug mechanism has slipped onto Syria. The victim designated for the sacrifice managed to avoid the death penalty. And that is merit of only two states – the People’s Republic of China and the Russian Federation. The beginning of war has been

Hard to believe, but the USA still barely pay attention to public opinion in their country, and possibly to some extend in their NATO ally-countries. That’s why in his Address to the Nation, concerning the events in Syria on 10.09.2013, the US President Obama tried to «calm down» both his citizens and the world’s community: «I will not put American boots on the ground in Syria. I will not pursue an open-ended action like Iraq or Afghanistan. I will not pursue a prolonged air campaign like Libya or Kosovo. This would be a targeted strike to achieve a clear objective: deterring the use of chemical weapons, and degrading Assad’s capabilities».

delayed, because their diplomatic energies were consolidated by ships of the Russian Naval Forces floating along the coasts of Syria, as well as ships of the People’s Liberation Army’s Navy heading to this region. Unfortunately, one cannot say that Syrian military power forced the USA to start hesitating. The country, worn out by a two-year war against partisan groups of the international terrorist ragtag –

After such words it is evident that there is no need to worry! Anything in common neither with Iraq or Afghanistan, nor with Libya and Kosovo! This is a very limited blow to contain and restrict Assad. Why almost the entire humanity is so bustle about this, especially the RF and PRC. Ok, they are going to destroy the country’s infrastructure, destroy several tens-hundreds of thousands of

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its weight. But the initial offer about an international control over Syrian chemical weapons smoothly developed into an agreement about its destruction.

War delay is a great cause

The threat that caused the formation of Syrian chemical arsenal has not disappeared. This threat is made by Israel’s nuclear weapons. Israel has been forming its nuclear arsenal since the ’70s, and today they possess at least 80 nuclear warheads and are able to create other 115-190 of them – the Los Angeles Times informed on 15.09.2013, offering as its reference the «Bulletin of the Atomic Scientists. Syrian chemical weapon was that very control weapon, able to cool down the heat of any aggressor. Even if its further developments had been extremely successful for Syria and it had been able to avoid its territory to be shoot by cruise missiles, this would not affect the appearance of love and friendly feelings of Syria’s geographical

Russia undertook some increased obligations to provide security in Syria killed by the «coalition» armies, to the Libyans driven back to Middle Age with the help of «tomahawks». Maybe some other world would be better – Obama did not specify it. At the end of Obama’s address there is something manic and alarming – the statement about America’s exclusiveness and the assertion that this «exclusiveness» is a truth the USA should never lose sight of. Such a thing already happened in the history of humanity: in last century’s 30s a great European nation believed in its exclusiveness and superiority over all other people. Might this be Hitler’s spirit whispering to Obama words and ideas about exclusiveness? A paradoxical demonstration of Nazism rudiments, performed by an Afro-American. Obviously, this is the spirit of the time and the consequence of nowadays globalization. Well coordinated actions of the Syrian «rebels», intelligent services of the western countries and the US state machinery, who organized chemical attack on August 21 in Eastern Gut had to lead to the beginning of the Western military actions against Syria. The world’s community became used to the absurdity of such dramatizations long ago. But an overwhelming majority of the world countries prefers to silently consider informational spits in their face to be «God’s dew» or approvingly assent. However, Putin’s offer was that very offer that could not be rejected even by the USA – to put Syrian chemical weapons under international control. The pretext of intrusion clearly lost

neighbors. In our modern world, any verbal and paper «security guarantees» are worth nothing, if this security is not reinforced by strong domestic armed forces.

Struggle for Ukraine

Having deprived Syria of any serious argument in political discussions with its neighbors, even though having armed it with conventional armaments, Russia undertook some increased obligations to provide security in Syria. In its own way, Russia bet its entire international authority. Not being able to protect the Serbs in the ‘90s, having lost billions of dollars in Libya because of a «nonresistance to evil by violence» policy, having «forgot» the debts of Iraq after the coming there of Western armies, not being able to beat the West in their «struggle for Ukraine», Russia has the chance to considerably strengthen its authority in the world. Being bored to hear a modernized variant of the phrase «Akella missed», Russia finally had an opportunity to effectively slap various jackals in their face. In

Ukraine. Moreover, people with Ukrainian passports are fighting on the side of the bands – the Crimean Tatars – that was acknowledged by Mustafa Cemilev, head of the Crimean Tatars Majlis (organization that does not possess any official status; in fact, the Majlis is an organized criminal band, because it considers its main goal the creation of a Crimean Tatars national state, striving to destroy Ukraine’s territorial integrity). And if Bashar Assad had not be able to grind 30-thousand crowds of Islamic bands on the Syrian territory with the help of Russia, many of them would be «placed in jobs» in the Crimea – to help the Majlis fighting for the separation of Crimea from Ukraine. Kosovo can easily come to our land. But domestic media are commenting these events from an absolutely inexplicable position. It appears that the largest Syrian problem for Ukraine is the base of the Black Sea Fleet in the Crimea! It’s hard to understand any logic chain. According to some of our «experts», the Russian Black Sea Fleet’s ships sail to Syria from the Crimea, and that’s why somebody somewhere can consider Ukraine as taking part in the conflict, and therefore conduct some terrorist activity against it. Such delusion was issued to the air in primetime on one of the national channels – «1+1». According to this channel’s journalists, this remains the developments during the war in North Ossetia, when the Russian Black Sea Fleet took part in the war and Ukraine was saved from big troubles only by «good attitude of the President of Gerogia» – Saakashvili. That’s interesting… What would Saakashvili do if he treated Ukraine differently? The striking of Syria against the UN decision was supported by 25 countries under the pressure of the USA. Don’t they feel themselves as participants in the conflict? For some reason, they don’t ask for any withdrawal of American bases from their territories. In one of their September broadcasts, the «1+1» Channel’s journalists paid great attention to the October Port, because their «American colleagues» informed that in reality this is a «Russian secret military base, delivering weapons to Assad’s regime».

colleagues of our journalists are also journalists? Then of course they can see better from across the ocean what is going on in our ports and where the «Russian secret bases» are. And extraordinary awareness! And what if that were the American Intelligence Service? Then which kind of «colleagues» do they have in Ukraine?

Second. It is not a great military secret that the October Port is specialized in export of armament and ammunition. And such objects are not public thoroughfares, and one must possess an incredible megalomania to be outraged, and consider that these are Ukrainians who are «not permitted to enter there». They’d better try to address to the Urkoboronoexport – perhaps they would receive

It appears that the largest Syrian problem for Ukraine is the base of the Black Sea Fleet in the Crimea! fact, Russia has been able to take this Near-Eastern country to a military and political balance. Syrian defeat would be a defeat of Russia.

Meanwhile in Ukraine…

Obviously, Syrian events cannot leave anybody indifferent, including the residents of

These journalists say that they «by hook or by crook tried to enter the base» but – that’s terrible! – «Ukrainians are not permitted to enter there». And this is happening on the territory of Ukraine! Many questions are arising from such commentaries. First of all, are the American

to people who fight for their sovereignty on their land, then what would be the corpus delicti? One may call «criminal» the decision of the European Council about delivering weapons to the so called «representatives of the Coalition of Syrian opposition and revolutionary forces». But our media are exceptionally re-transmitting the European-

seventh could tell about a kitten falling to a garbage chute or a timely evacuated village on the slope of an awakened volcano. Now the basic mass of news information is devoted to the «curse Muscovites», the problems with the Black Sea Fleet, or with a drunken group of Russian farmers, who illegally crossed the state border with Ukraine –

Might this be Hitler’s spirit whispering to Obama words and ideas about exclusiveness? A paradoxical demonstration of Nazism rudiments, performed by an Afro-American

solutions of some puzzles by them, or – what would be much better – they could try to enter some American base: selection is wide – there are more than 850 of them in 130 countries all over the world. And if their health would allow them, they would tell us how they «entered» there. Third. If any weapon is delivered

American opinion. It has become a good form not to watch Shuster and Kiselev in Ukraine. Normal healthy minds are not able to calmly overcome the wave of preconceived information, and representation of seeming discussions in a sector that represents at its maximum 450 out of 3600 of the public opinion. Unfortunately, there is an increased amount of TVchannels and telecasts, for which one should feel ashamed, as for a person who is trying to publicly sing without any hearing and voice – only «talent». Somebody sings, but you feel awkwardness instead. In these last months there was a certain heel in the presentation of the news by the Ukrainian channels «1+1» (Kolomoyskiy), ICTV, STB (Pinchuk), Inter (Firtash). Formerly, an average of six out of seven morning news told about murders, houses blows, road accidents, and other misfortunes with human victims in Ukraine and abroad, and the

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civilians and condemn others to some miserable existence – and that’s it, it happens. Obama could not warn about the fact that American boots wouldn’t leave their traces on the Syrian land. Highly technological but cowardly warriors prefer fighting from distance, outside the enemy’s fire effective zone. The coarse work is done for them by their younger brothers in NATO and cannon-fodders from accountable countries, such as Qatar. Obama is trying to inspire himself and his fellow citizens whom he addresses: «My fellow Americans, for nearly seven decades, the United States has been the anchor of global security. <…> The burdens of leadership are often heavy, but the world is a better place because we have borne them». Doubtfully Obama ever asked to be an «anchor» to the hundreds of thousand Serbian refugees and the victims of ethnic purges in Bosnia, Croatia and Kosovo, to the relatives of millions of Iraqis

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the news can be about anything, but the words «Russians», «Russia», «Customs Union» will always exceptionally appear in a negative light. Each consumer of the Ukrainian TV-production can personally make sure about that, with a cup of morning coffee or in the evening prime-time, watching the news. A powerful informational campaign is being held, and it implies several owners of media-groups who passed on to the Evil’s side and, like zombies, gnaw the brains of Ukrainians, trying to impose a certain ideology, that would serve only the interests of the largest international capital. But what the Syrian events have to do with it? The Syrian events can be a litmus test for an everyone’s self-examination about their own ability to distinguish evil from good, truth from lies, the interests of their own country and the interests of their childrengrandchildren from the interests of Uncle Sam and the English Queen.

CULTURE

THE KIEV TIMES | OCTOBER 2013

GOGOLFEST: AN UNTOUCHABLE CULTURAL INSTITUTION? By Maryana Priven

organization of the festival was mostly done by volunteers, and entry became charged, although in a symbolic sense, with 20 hryvnias on work-days and 50 hryvnias on weekends. For many people the GogolFest became a really significant event, as it is indicated by the unflagging interest and the high attendance to the festival, which was held in a quite remote part of Kiev and fell on one of the rainiest and dull autumn weeks. However, some Ukrainians ignored the GogolFest and the reason wasn’t the rain. Olga Balashova, art critic, curator and media-theorist, expressed her criticism in relation to the GogolFest in her articles for the Ukrainska Pravda. Her materials about the festival were very highprofile The main remark of

Balashova is the inconsistency of the declared GogolFest’s format compared to reality. The art critic noted that it is a bad tone to criticize the festival, particularly Troitskiy’s one. The festival made by holy people – the volunteers – who worked for free and without sleep, became untouchable, and Troitskiy’s authority became undisputable. The metaphor of the temple (the «free people’s temple» – that’s how Troitskiy talked about the event’s conception) seems grotesque and unrealistic to Balashova. She marks out the bungle organization, the lack of participants’ critical selection, the chaotic filling of the program, according to the principle «we take what we’re able to catch» and the excessive tolerance towards some unsuccessful aspects of the festival.

The art critic noted that it is a bad tone to criticize the festival, particularly Troitskiy’s one

GOLDEN SEASON-2013 By Marina Frolova, Olga Medvedeva

This first month of autumn had been «fruitful» with events and premiers. After summer holidays Ukraine has returned to its activity and haunters of social occasions came back to the red carpets, podiums and pedestals. Let’s recall the most remarkable moments…

Opening of the 146th season of the National Opera of Ukraine

On September 6, the National Opera of Ukraine opened its 146th Opera Season by the performance «Yaroslav the Wise». The opera set the tone for the whole year: the trend will obviously embrace monumentality, stability and history. From the very beginning of September, the audience had the opportunity to familiarize with truly significant sellouts and performances. They are: «Nutcracker» by Peter Tchaikovsky, «Romeo and Juliet» by Sergey Prokofyev, as well as «The Master and Margarita», where Bulgakov’s heroes are reviving on the music of Dmitri Shostakovich, Johann Bach, Gustav Mahler, Jacques Offenbach and other famous composers. In the context of the opening day of the season on September 22, the National Opera held a

significant event – for the first time the Italian neo-classic music composer and pianist Ludovico Einaudi performed in Ukraine.

Kharkov Superior Cup 2013 Golf tournament in Kharkiv

From the 12th to the 15th of September, 132 players from 29 countries from all over the world came to Kharkiv. Making their putts, they competed for the victory in the tournament and for a considerable money prize of 200 thousand euro that was distributed among all participants. The players represented the five continents. «I’m grateful that the European Challenge Tour allowed to carry out a very prestigious tournament of the European series in Ukraine, where golf is only five years old», said the president of the Superior Golf Club, Yuri Sapronov, during the opening day pressconference. Seven golf-players

Ukrainian team also included the ex-football-player Andriy Shevchenko, who fought for the victory in the amateur category. None of the Ukrainians reached the final. Russian tennis-player Evgeniy Kafelnikov also took part in the competition. The tournament cup of gold, silver and nephritis, as well as a prize of the sum of 32 thousand euro left for Holland together with the winner Daan Huizing. He seized the victory from Korean Hwan Kim, and the third place was taken by Englishman Daniel Brooks. The winners were rewarded by Kharkiv’s governor Mikhail Dobkin, who promised the same tournament in 2014 as well. Besides, during a ceremony it was traditionally designed also the Miss Superior Golf.

The 11th Koktebel Jazz Festival in Crimea

Each year this open-air festival that was established in 2003 was attended by more than 30 thousand guests, including some famous musicians from all over the world. This year the Koktebel Jazz organizers, for the first time, cooperated with the British Council, as the main sponsor, and that’s why the festival’s music

The main festival’s shortcoming for Olga is the GogolFest’s pretension of being the only mouthpiece of any modern cultural process in Ukraine, that grades large amount of other, though not so scaled, cultural initiatives. Another art critic, the author of the catalogue called «Sergey Paradzhanov. Collage. Ensemblage. Subject», Diana Klochko, who presented the Kiev audience with Paradzhanov in the role of a collagist, for the first time noted the aesthetics of the GogolFest’s theater:

«We presented the album right here, because Paradzhanov’s phantasmagoria has much in common with the fantasies of Gogol – the main symbol of this festival». Diana also noted the great diversity in art projects, which were «spontaneous, slightly chaotic, from graffiti to stained glass, but some of them strengthened the territory’s saturation». The organizer of «Genesis» project that is a literature component of the GogolFest – Olexander Mihed – emphasized the high level of three literature

program acquired a quite readable «English» accent. During four days, the scenes located among gardens and beaches presented one of the most talented modern British multi-instrumentalists Patrick Wolf, trip-hop groups Red Snapper Telepopmusik, Bonobo, Submotion Orchestra, and Ukrainian group The Hardkiss. The first class jazz star Erik Truffaz appeared on the main stage. During the festival days the organizers also held a festival of modern art «Art&Shok», with the presentation of some modern movies and events devoted to modern and contemporary art.

250 politicians and businessmen from various countries. Crimea was also attended by the former British premier Toni Blair, the former Italian premier Mario Monti, the former CIA director David Petraeus, the former managing director of the IMF Dominique Strauss-Kahn, the former president of the World Bank Robert Zoellick, the minister of foreign affairs of Sweden Carl Bild, the former US state secretary Hillary Clinton and many more. The summit was opened by the President of Ukraine Viktor Yanukovych and the President of Lithuania Dalia Grybauskaitė. «Ukraine is confidently following the way of European integration. The relations pattern with the Customs Union does not hamper the European integration, and mustn’t create any obstacles but has to solve them», the President said. He noted that he had supported the creation of a common economic space from Vancouver to Vladivostok.

International summit in Yalta

From the 19th to the 22nd of September it was possible to meet the Ukrainian oligarch Viktor Pinchuk or the ex-president of the

Yalta Rally Fest: auto-rally championship of Ukraine and European Cup

USA Bill Clinton on Yalta’s quay. Those days, the tenth summit of the Yalta European Strategy (YES) called «Ukraine and the world in an epoch of changes: success factors» was held in the Livadia Palace, There were current and former presidents, billionaires, Ukrainian deputies and officials among more than

From the 13th to the 15th of September 2013, they held the fifth qualifying event of the Championship of Ukraine and the fifteenth qualifying event of the European Rally Cup, joined by 80 crews from Ukraine, Russia, Belarus, Lithuania, Bulgaria and Kazakhstan. This year the festival was held in a new format and became not only a sport event but also a musical one. After the rally, the audience enjoyed performances by Grigoriy Leps, Tina Carol, Boris Moiseev, Iryna Bilyk etc. The Ukrainian President’s son, Viktor Yanukovych, was also noticed among the guests. The winners of the competition was the crew of Olexander Saluk and Evgeniy Chervonenko, driving for the Kazakhstan team «Astana». Chervonenko, former Ukraine’s minister for Transport and Communications and professional racer, was the organizer of the «Yalta Rally» competition.

events: the presentation of an interpretation of Robert Walser’s book, with the participation of Yuri Andrukhovych; the project of Bogdana Matiyash «Hutsul readings», as well as the music and poetry project «Gogol’s women» with young poets. Although these meetings took place simultaneously, they managed to gather their audience. Mihed noted that the project’s purpose – the comprehension of currently conceived cultural trends – was completely achieved, in the format of discussions and round tables represented during

New Mercedes-Benz S-Class presentation

In the context of the «Capital Auto-Show» celebration in Kiev there was the presentation of the new-generation Mercedes-Benz S-Class with the body index of W222. The dull weather could not hamper people gathering to check out the newly-designed product. The event was attended by the UkrAuto representative Nina Vasadze, as well as Asia Mhitarian,

Lisa Yuschenko, Tiko Gabrichidze and others. The anchorwoman of the event was the Ukrainian TV-diva Masha Efrosinina, wife of the Ukrainian businessman Timur Khromaev. In addition to the «Mercedes-Benz» saturated program, ten long-expected cars from Chery , KIA, Opel and Jeep were represented in the context of the «Capital Auto-Show».

Photo UNIAN, Ukrainian News

This year Vlad Troitskiy, the organizer of the festival and director of the experimental theater «Dakh», put a special emphasize on the audience’s involvement. He says that this is the strategic purpose of the entire festival. Thus, during the opening performance, titled «Neither God, nor King, nor Hero» Troitskiy himself commented it by some lines from the International Himn: «Nobody will give us anything: neither God, nor King, nor Hero. We’ll achieve them by our own hands». And immediately added: «But we must know what we should release them from… From the slave in ourselves». The wish to draw the audience out of its ordinary role of passive consumers, whether it were shopping-centers’ production, or arts and their involvement into the process of creation of a common cultural space, was repeatedly stated by Troitskiy. This motto was mainly dictated by the lack of money for the conduct of the events, and the lack of large investors. The

Photo UNIAN

The International Festival of Modern Culture – GogolFest-2013 – has become the central event of the capital’s autumn cultural life. The festival traditionally was held on the territory of a deserted factory in Vydubichi that has been turned into an art-cluster. It joined a cinema hall, a theater, a literature ground, music scenes, a camera scene, educational studios and lecture-halls. Some critics and journalists attribute the festival to the significant cultural events of Ukraine, such as the III International Book Arsenal and the art and cultural exhibition «The Great and the Grand»